


Safe Place

by BirdOfHermes



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: Abuse, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Black Character(s), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, Explicit Consent, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Love, First Time, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship/Love, Gentle Kissing, Gentle Sex, Healing, Healing Sex, Hurt/Comfort, Interracial Relationship, Loss of Virginity, Making Love, Mental Health Issues, Non-Sexual Slavery, Physical Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Praise Kink, Slavery, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Virginity, Voice Kink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-08-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:55:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 36,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22766608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BirdOfHermes/pseuds/BirdOfHermes
Summary: A slave girl named Diana is dragged to Dracula's castle by her master with the intent of being disposed of, but instead of a monster, she find a quiet, tortured soul within the walls of death and destruction. Maybe it's not at all what it seems. Post season two, pre season three.
Relationships: Alucard (Castlevania)/Reader, Alucard | Adrian Tepes | Arikado Genya/Reader, Alucard/Original Female Character
Comments: 92
Kudos: 464





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> PSA: Alucard is a wonderful sad boi and I can't wait for season three and I so I need to make him a happy boi via fanfiction right now. 
> 
> Mind you, the OT3 is life, but I am selfish and I actually think Castlevania handles the fucked up race relations of their time period pretty well, so while I know this might be rough on some folks, I really wanted to show the softest sides of Alucard possible in relation to this tough subject. I think he would really understand being an outcast and hated for something that is beyond your control, but that's just me, I dunno. See if you like it.

_“Another day inside my world_

_I’m married to you and this road_

_A road that never lets me sleep_

_There’s no way to escape these demons I am forced to keep_

_And then I find you here_

_Through your eyes, everything’s clear_

_And I’m home inside your arms…”_

_-“Safe Place” by Staind_

Pain was all I knew.

Not from birth. There was a time, long ago. A time before the pain. It lingered in my mind, an uncut diamond in a mine of filth and death and misery. My mother’s smile. My father’s gentle touch on the crown of my head. My little brother’s mischievous giggle. I cherished every second that still remained in my mind, determined to let those memories drive me to survive.

But my time had finally run out.

I always knew it would.

Just never this way.

My tears clogged my eyes, as did the dirt that kicked up as my broken body dragged behind the horse. If it went into a gallop, I doubted I’d survive it, which was why Hunter hadn’t done it yet. I could hear his sickening chuckle as he listened to my grunts of pain, his favorite lullaby. My wrists burned from the rope tightly binding my arms together and the ground mercilessly scraped and tore my skin apart as we continued through the path. I’d lost consciousness twice already during the ride when my head hit the ground. I didn’t know where we were going. I just knew I’d die when I got there.

“Having fun back there?” Hunter laughed. “Learned your lesson yet?”

The gag in my mouth prevented me from speaking. It wouldn’t matter. No one would help anyway. No one ever had. I’d been born cursed, not in the way of magic, but in the way of simple genetics. My dark brown skin branded me. Not every place in the world treated those of my race this way, but I’d been unfortunate enough to cross the path of people who believed we were animals. The world was changing, slowly but surely, just not in this neck of the woods. They called it “indentured servitude” now. Not slavery.

Same fucking difference.

My lungs screamed for air as the dust caked my nostrils and I couldn’t wipe it away. I’d pass out again soon. I prayed that it would be within the next few minutes, for I couldn’t take much more.

Then, suddenly, we stopped.

Hunter dismounted ungracefully. He was a fat old man, bearded and disgusting and ungainly. The horse breathed a sigh of relief from being unburdened from his heavy body. I collapsed in a heap, shivering in the cold, staring at the pale moonlight along the path through my drying tears. Hunter’s boots appeared in front of me. I heard an unraveling noise and then the rope went slack and pooled around me. I couldn’t move, not even to lift my head.

Hunter grabbed the back of my dress and hauled me forward. “That’s the last time you run away from me, you little wretch. I’m done trying to keep you. Finally managed to finagle myself another servant, one that’s actually obedient this time, so I won’t be needing your services any longer.”

I heard another throaty chuckle. “But it’s not enough to stick a knife in your throat. No, for all the trouble you’ve caused me, I’ve got something far more fun.”

The shadows in the trees slithered in my peripheral. I blinked hard to try to clear my vision. I struggled until I turned over and he ignored me, still dragging me along, away from civilization. Something cold climbed up my spine. Something about this place was all wrong. It felt…evil. Empty. Cursed.

Hunter stopped and looped an arm under me, hauling me up. My legs wouldn’t hold, so he propped me against his chest. “Have a look at your new digs, darling.”

The cloud shifted above us. I couldn’t see at first through the cover of darkness. Then they parted and the moon shone down.

Over a castle.

My blood turned to ice.

No.

I knew this place.

Everyone in town knew this place.

Dracula’s castle.

My strength returned to me at once. I struggled, attempting to kick any part of him I could touch so he’d put me down and I could run. His laughter redoubled. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. I’m sure you’ll feel right at home soon enough.”

I screamed through the gag as his arm only tightened around my sore ribs until only muted choking noises escaped. He was too strong, even for an older man. The massive doors to the castle crept closer with every step. I couldn’t die this way. God had abandoned me long ago, but I prayed anyway, begging him to let me die another way. Not the monsters. Anything but the monsters.

“You know what they say,” Hunter mused. “Anyone who sets foot inside the castle is never seen again. You know what lurks inside. The devil himself. He will bleed you dry, one drop at a time, and you will know a kind of pain that you never have in your miserable life. That is what you deserve, you worthless little rodent.”

We reached the door. I flailed with my last bit of energy and hit him in the left knee with both feet. He cried out and dropped me. I rolled to my feet and tried to run. My legs wouldn’t hold. I hadn’t eaten in days. I tried to crawl, but he snatched me by my hair and pulled me up again. The huge doors to the cursed castle yawned open when he pulled on them and he flung me inside. I landed hard on a bright carpet over stone floors. The floor was so cold I broke into shivers instantly.

Hunter cackled and raised his voice. “I know you’re there, monster. I brought you a little snack. May this filthy worm be considered a tribute to you and your malevolent kind.”

With that, he dusted himself off and headed for the door. I curled into a ball and wept, too weak to do anything else. I could only hope my death would be swift.

Two steps before Hunter reached the door, it closed by itself.

He jumped in alarm. Then he frowned and pulled on the handle. It wouldn’t budge.

“What the devil?” he spat, slamming his fist against it, and then grabbed and pulled harder. It still didn’t move.

“There is a monster in this castle,” a low, male voice whispered, yet it reverberated around the open halls of the castle in a cacophonous sound. Hunter whirled around, his beady eyes darting back and forth, desperate to locate the source. I didn’t move from the floor, staying perfectly still, just watching from between my fingers.

“But that monster,” the mysterious voice continued. “Is not me.”

“Stay back!” Hunter snapped, drawing a dagger from his side. “I brought you this mewling slave to appease you, creature. Do not turn your ire on me when I have done you a favor!”

“A favor? Beating a helpless woman half to death and dragging her here to die is what you consider a favor?”

A cold wind swept down through the chamber. Hunter braced himself against it, covering his face with both arms, and when he lowered them, a beautiful man stood right in front of him.

He screamed and stabbed at the man on impulse. The man raised his arm in a simple, almost lazy movement, catching Hunter’s wrist. He was tall, very pale, his hair spun gold, as were his lashes and eyes. His expression seemed devoid of life, except for those eyes. Rage filled them.

The beautiful man squeezed Hunter’s arm. I heard a sharp crack. Hunter screamed in agony and fell to his knees, dropping the dagger. He started crying and trying to pull his arm free. The man kept his hold and knelt in front of him, getting right in the bastard’s face. “The only favor that I will do is rid the world of one more monster.”

“Y-You can’t do this! You can’t—”

The man reached up and crushed Hunter’s windpipe in his other hand.

Hunter’s body twitched a couple times, then slumped over. No sense of horror or loss filled me. Good riddance.

The beautiful man stood, dusting off his knees. Then he slowly turned to face me.

I shut my eyes and curled up tighter in a ball. I knew the violence would start next. Whatever he was, he was strong, and he could kill me in seconds.

If I was lucky.

Footsteps echoed. I waited, doing my best not to cry in fear. A shadow loomed over me. Now. He was going to kill me now.

I flinched as I felt his fingers on my wrists. They were…soft. Gentle. The rope bit into my wrists and then abruptly slackened. I still didn’t move an inch.

The man inhaled sharply as he tugged the rope away, likely seeing the bruises and cuts it had left on my skin. He nudged my dark, tangled hair away from my face and neck. The gag in my mouth fell away next. I still wouldn’t move. Couldn’t move. The fear paralyzed me.

“You are hurt,” the man whispered. “Badly. I must tend to you, but I cannot do so unless it is your wish, poor girl. Do I have your permission?”

Shivering all over, I slowly peeked at him through my fingers. He gave me a very faint little smile when our eyes met. My lips were dry and cracked. I’d had dirt in my mouth for miles. My voice sounded like hag-speak when I asked, “W-What?”

“No harm will come to you within these walls,” he said. “I swear it.”

My eyes strayed to Hunter’s corpse. “I don’t believe you.”

“That is your right,” he said. “But it is still the truth. You are at death’s door. I can help. Will you allow me to help?”

“Why?”

“It is my way,” he said simply, as if that were enough to explain.

“Can’t…can’t trust you.”

“You do not need to trust me to accept my help.”

That was true enough. I had no other choice. Nowhere else to go.

I shut my eyes. “Yes.”

The man slipped his arms underneath me: one under my back, the other under my knees. He stood up in a smooth motion, as if I weighed nothing to him. He felt solid and lithe and powerful. He turned and headed for the long staircase towards the right, his steps almost silent as he carried me.

“Where are you taking me?” I mumbled into his shirt, too exhausted to move.

“Private quarters,” he told me. “You will need water first to revive your strength. Then I will tend to your wounds. Then you will eat and rest.”

“And then?”

He glanced down at me, lifting an eyebrow. “And then?”

“What will you do with me?”

“Nothing. You are free to do as you please once you are well.”

I must have made a skeptical face, for he smiled slightly. “This I also swear to you. I have no hold over you. You owe me nothing. You may leave as soon as you are healthy again.”

We reached the hallway at the top of the staircase and he brought me to a room on the right. There was a large bed against the wall and furniture far finer than anything I’d ever seen before. Rugs decorated the floor. Paintings hung on the walls. Books on the shelf. A guest room of sorts.

The bed he settled me on was the softest thing I’d ever touched. He stepped out for a moment and then returned with a canteen, a large bowl of water, and a leather sack. He handed the canteen to me and I ripped off the cap, greedily slurping down as much as possible. Halfway thru, he tipped it down from my mouth.

“Not too fast,” he chided. “Or you’ll throw it up. You’re dehydrated. Your stomach will need time to adjust back to normal.”

I didn’t want to listen to him, but I did so anyway. He set the bowl of water on a nearby stool and fished out a washrag. He tilted my face up and carefully began to wipe away the filth. It brought us so close to each other that I couldn’t help but shrink in on myself. I tried not to look at him directly, instead staring at the floor or my hands, but he kept tilting my chin up. My heart pounded against my ribs, unwilling to calm down for a single second.

“How long?” he asked quietly, this time reaching into the leather sack for supplies.

“What?”

“How long have you been enslaved?”

I winced. “Since I was a child. I was ten when they took me.”

The man sighed. “I am terribly sorry, my dear.”

He withdrew a glass bottle and tipped it into the washrag once he’d squeezed the water out. When he touched it to the slash on my forehead, I cried out as a sharp pain lanced through me. He stopped instantly. “I am sorry. The wounds will hurt a great deal, but this is necessary to prevent infection.”

I nodded tightly, gripping handfuls of my shredded skirt. “I-I know, sorry, it just hurts so much.”

“The healing process always hurts,” he agreed. “But I assure you, it is worth it.”

I chuckled weakly and shook the canteen. “Got anything stronger than this?”

He eyed me. “You should not have alcohol on an empty stomach.”

“So I take that as a yes, then.”

He huffed a bit. “If you insist.”

He rose, left, and then returned with a small bottle of rather strong ale. “Drink slowly. It will likely make you sleepy. I can work as you rest, if you wish.”

“If I wish,” I murmured as I popped out the cork and took a long swig. It was very good ale. “Why are you being kind to me?”

“I have no reason to be unkind to you,” he replied as he returned to treating the wound. It still hurt, but not as much this time.

“But I’ve heard stories,” I said as my lids got heavier with every sip of ale. “People who come into these woods and never return.”

“Monsters lurk here, drawn to this place that my father built. I fight them off, but I do not get them all. They are the ones who kill the villagers.”

Anger flitted over his expression. “With the exception of the beast that brought you here.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “And if you’re not a monster, then what are you?”

He lifted my chin a little more, dabbing at the cut on my bottom lip. “I am a vampire.”

I stared at him. He didn’t say anything more. I knew little about them, but I knew one thing that would prove his words to be true.

Slowly, I reached up towards his face. He gave me a measured look, but didn’t try to stop me. My fingers trembled slightly as I gently placed a fingertip against his lower lip. He understood after a moment, his golden lashes lowering over his eyes as he stared back at me, unafraid. He parted his lips enough for me to see inside his mouth.

Pearly white incisors, long and dangerous, lay beneath those soft lips.

I swallowed hard and let my hand fall away. Fear clenched my throat shut. I had to take a few breaths to be able to speak again. “Funny. Didn’t know vampires could be so beautiful.”

His eyes widened slightly. I couldn’t have said why I told him that. Maybe it was the ale. Or the dehydration and starvation. Or maybe I was just a simpleton.

“My mother,” he said after a while. “I take after her. She was beautiful.”

I nodded. “I see.”

“And you?” he asked, moving on towards the scrapes on my neck. “Is your beauty that of your mother?”

I blinked at him. “My beauty?”

He lifted a pale eyebrow. “What about that question confuses you?”

“I…am not beautiful.”

“According to whom?”

“Look at me,” I insisted. “You said so yourself I was almost beaten to death and I’m caked in mud and things I don’t even want to know about. I am the antithesis of beauty.”

“First of all, I am making small talk,” he said wryly. “Second of all, it is not hard to see that beneath all that you have endured that you are a lovely girl.”

I glanced away. “I am the furthest thing from it. You heard him. I’m an animal. A beast of the fields. My hands are coarse and my back is bowed and nothing I do will ever amount to anything in this world being what I am.”

“And what are you?”

I glared at him. “You know what I am.”

“Strong,” he said. “You are strong.”

For a moment, I had nothing to say in reply. No one had ever said that to me before. Not once.

He finished cleaning the wounds on my neck and frowned at the bloodstains on my abdomen. “There are wounds across your ribs. May I treat them?”

A hot rush washed over me from head to toe as I realized why he had asked me such a question. Hunter always treated me like an animal, never caring about my state of undress in any scenario. I had never been considered pleasing to the eyes of anyone, not after being sold to him at a tender age. It confused me that this man seemed fine to treat me like a person.

“I…” I fidgeted and took a long pull off the bottle. It just made me dizzy that time. “I’ve never…been…naked in front of a man before. Only Hunter.”

“Very well. I will leave them for you to attend to on your own.” He dug into the bag for bandages, wrapping my neck carefully, and then treated the hideous bruises and scrapes on my arms and hands.

When he finished, he scooted the stool back a bit and set the bowl on the floor. I yipped slightly as he settled my bare feet into the basin. The cool water immediately soothed the stinging cuts and the mud fell off in chunks, turning the water brownish red.

“W-What are you doing?”

“Hmm?” he asked, working the washrag over my ankles first, then moving towards the ball of my right foot. It was nigh invisible, but I blushed fiercely as he stooped and cleaned them with slow, gentle movements, same as everything else he had done. I couldn’t spit it out. It was utterly wrong in every sense of the word for a man of his station to wash a woman such as me in such a fashion, yet he didn’t seem to think anything of it. Perhaps it reminded me too much of a passage in the Bible I’d heard before; that of Christ washing the feet of people society considered to be nothing more than trash.

Once he was done, he dried them with a towel and propped my right foot in his lap, treating the cuts one at a time, apply salve, and then bandaging them. I’d gotten through all of the water and half of the ale by the time he finished. He pushed my ruined skirt up past my knees and peered at my ruddy brown legs, examining the damage. His long fingers settled around my left calf and I whimpered before I could stop myself.

“It hurts there?” he asked, lifting his gaze to mine.

I nodded. “Sharp pain or dull pain?”

“Dull.”

“That may be a good sign. It means it isn’t broken, only sore.” He treated it and moved to my other leg.

And then something unsettling happened.

As his hand traveled up my calf, a strangle tickling sensation rolled up my spine. His fingertips hit the back of my knee and I shuddered, covered in sudden goosebumps all over. I panicked and retracted my leg from his grip, panting hard, startled for some reason as I’d never felt that before. He blinked at me, surprised, and gave me a reassuring look. “It’s alright, easy. I mean you no harm.”

“That wasn’t…harmful,” I blurted out. “It was…I just…I don’t know.”

I trailed off, too nervous to articulate more. He nodded. “I understand. I will not push you. I am going to prepare you something to have before you rest. Tend to your ribs and any other areas while I’m gone. You will need to clean it first and then use this bottle. I’ll bring you fresh water.”

“Thank you.” He bowed his head slightly, those shimmering blond locks framing his face, and then he left again. He brought me a new bowl with a fresh washrag. Once he was gone, I shimmied out of the torn remains of my dress and cleaned myself as best as I could, treating the wounds once I was done. My head hurt. My stomach gurgled impatiently. It took a while, but he came back with a clay bowl and spoon, steam rising from it. Simple soup with carrots and potatoes. No meat, but that made sense; I probably wouldn’t be able to handle it just yet. 

“Why do you have food?” I asked after a greedy several mouthfuls. “I thought vampires drink blood?”

He chuckled. “I am only half vampire. I eat.”

“Oh.” I practically guzzled the rest, not caring that I dripped some on the dress in my haste. I tried not to rush so I wouldn’t throw it up later, but it was delicious.

He took the empty bowl back and confiscated the ale before I could finish it off. “Rest. In the morning, I will draw you a bath and change your bandages. I am down the hall to the left if anything should arise and you have need of me.”

I bit my lip. “What will you do with Hunter’s body?”

“Throw the trash where it belongs,” he said coldly, scowling. “There are many creatures that will be happy to dispose of his remains.”

“You were too kind,” I fumed, tears pricking my eyes as I thought of what he’d done to me. “Hell is too kind for his wretched soul.”

“On that we agree, my fair lady.” Again, he bowed his head to me. “Rest as well as you can.”

“Thank you. I’m not worthy of this kindness you have shown me. I hope to repay it somehow.”

“You owe me nothing. Consider this the least I could do. The world is cruelest to those who deserve it the least. I am glad if I can offer some counterweight.”

He started to go until I called out to him. “What’s your name?”

He paused in the doorway, one hand on the knob. He gave me another small smile. “Alucard. What is it that I may call you in return?”

“Diana,” I whispered. It sounded odd. Hunter called me anything he wanted, hadn’t bothered to learn my real name after he’d bought me. I hadn’t heard my name aloud in ages.

“Diana,” Alucard said warmly. “Beautiful.”

He shut the door before I could say anything else. I curled up under the covers, staring out of the window at the moon, watching it glide through the darkness like a beacon of hope in the void.

-

For the first time since I was a child, I slept peacefully.

In my shack at Hunter’s, I slept lightly, defensively, for he would barrel into there at his own leisure to berate me at any time. There was usually no warning. I learned how to be alert immediately to try to protect myself. It had also been to teach myself not to be sleepy at these hours, for the wee hours were the best times to try to escape. I’d gotten far one time, to the next town, but I had fallen asleep hiding in a barn and woke up to a bounty hunter’s boot on my neck. He’d dragged me back to Hunter and the cycle started all over again.

Alucard’s knock woke me. My body’s aches and pains still bothered me, but not nearly as much as they had last night. I slowly sat up in the borrowed bed and croaked, “Come in.”

The door opened. Alucard had a tray balanced in one hand, a towel and a bar of soap in the other. He gave me that same subtle smile as he watched me wipe my eyes and try to finger-comb my hair off of my face. “Good morning, Diana.”

My name flowed off his tongue musically. I blushed upon hearing it. “Good morning, Alucard.”

He set the tray on the nearby stool, revealing tea, porridge, an apple, and more ice-cold water. I lunged for it so viciously that he let out a breathy little chuckle.

“Don’t rush,” he said again, setting the towel and soap next to me on the bed. “I drew your bath. Do you think you can walk yet?”

I shook my head. “I haven’t tried yet, but I’ll see.”

“It’s no imposition,” he promised me. “I am stronger than I look.”

“You look plenty strong,” I said without thinking. “But I’m not an invalid.”

“I would never imply that you are. Just be sensible about it, that is all. I would rather you didn’t strain yourself any further.”

“I’ll try not to.” I ate everything and then tried the tea. I sighed and closed my eyes. It was so lovely. Anything I’d gotten that wasn’t bread and water and dried goat were things I stole from Hunter. I’d only had tea one time, but this was the best thing I’d ever tasted aside from the ale last night. Hot and sweet. Soothing. He’d added honey, I thought.

Once I was done, I took a deep breath, grabbed the towel and soap, and pushed off of the bed. My head swam. I clutched my temple, squeezing my eyes shut as pain clenched my temples and shot down my back. My legs wobbled. I lost my balance, but Alucard caught me a second later.

“Not yet, it seems,” he said with no trace of pity, only careful concern. “Give it time. As you eat and rest, you’ll get stronger.”

He slipped his other arm beneath my knees and picked me up. He took me down the hallway to an elegant washroom. He sat me at the edge of the tub. There was a new dress already folded and sitting on a stool nearby. “Take your time. Call for me when you finish.”

“Thank you.”

He inclined his head and shut the door behind him. I unraveled my bandages one by one and lowered myself into the hot water. Everything stung, but it felt amazing after a while. My limbs still didn’t work quite right, so bathing was irritatingly slow, but possible. The water was tepid by the time I finished.

The dress he’d brought me was old and didn’t fit me perfectly, but it did feel nice on my skin. It was deep violet, almost black, none of the frilly nonsense the upperclass women wore; just a plain, but well-made dress. I called him in and he treated my wounds again, rewrapping my bandages.

“How did you learn to do this?” I asked.

“My mother,” he said. “She was a doctor.”

“I see. Did she live here with you and your father?”

“Yes, once upon a time.” The sadness in his voice made me wince. I tried to change the subject.

“What do you do here on your own? Read? Write?”

“Among other things,” he said, nodding. “Practice my swordplay. Learn medicine. Astronomy. The castle has a lot to offer, as does the Belmont stronghold below. Every day, I find a new section in the library to study.”

“That sounds nice,” I admitted. “Peaceful.”

“It is when there are not monsters running about or townsfolk looking for trouble.”

“Do you have any friends?”

“Yes. They are away at the moment.”

“Good. I hardly think a man should rattle around in here all alone forever.”

“It may be for the best.”

“For others, maybe. What about you?”

“It has been a long time since I cared to think about what is best for me.”

“Why is that?”

Alucard shook his head. “Many things. I am not proud of what I have done in the past. Perhaps I do not deserve what I want. Perhaps I do not deserve the happiness that so many seek.”

My heart ached. He truly believed it. “I may not know you, but I do know that based on your actions in the last day or so, you aren’t a bad companion at all. It’s not wrong to want the company of another person sometimes, regardless of what you’ve done.”

“It is if I end up hurting them,” he whispered, locking eyes with me. “And I have very recently hurt someone I loved. I am not eager to do so again.”

I swallowed hard. “You have gentle hands, Alucard. Your mother’s hands. They heal. If you let them.”

He said nothing, his eyes roving over my face, as if he were deep in thought. After a bit, he sighed. “Come. You need more rest.”

He took me back to the bed. “Do you mind?”

“Hmm?”

I gestured to the shelf across the room. “The books. I may not fall asleep right away.”

“Certainly not.” He brought a handful of them over to me. “I’ll be back around lunchtime, but you may call for me if you need anything.”

“Thank you, Alucard.”

“You are most welcome, Diana.”

I huddled beneath the covers with the first book: a Grimms fairytale. In the sunlight, the room seemed far less daunting and empty. I was able to relax and read, taking a light nap for a while. I also contemplated the strange contrast of Alucard’s nurturing nature versus the viciousness I’d heard of his father, Dracula. Part of me kept waiting for him to turn on me, to swoop in for a bite of my neck, to show those sharp fangs and take what he wanted, yet I sensed that he didn’t truly have a reason to prey on me. It was possible he was lying to me, trying to trick me into staying with him, or healing me only so he could keep me as a prisoner once I was healthy. However, my instincts said otherwise. I’d seen the portraits of his mother in the hallway. He resembled her in more ways than one. There was a softness to him that I had never seen before. I knew my perception of the world was badly skewed, but he was still the kindest person I’d known since my parents.

As promised, he returned at lunchtime with a heavier broth, this time with beef in it, and bread, more water, and ale.

“May I ask you a silly question?”

“Ask away.”

I licked my lips. “Um, how do you not bite holes in your tongue constantly?”

He lifted an eyebrow. Then he laughed at me. I blushed deeply.

“The same way you learned how to walk or put on your shoes,” he said, mirth in his eyes. “Simple practice. I was born a vampire, not turned into one. Evolutionarily speaking, I inherently know how to speak, eat, and drink without biting through my own tongue.”

I nodded. “I suppose that makes sense. I just thought it would make certain things more difficult, like whistling or kissing.”

I clamped my mouth shut and cursed myself as I realized I’d let that last part slip. Alucard’s smile turned a little sly as he looked back at me, his lashes lowering slightly. “Is that something you think about often?”

“N-No,” I huffed, passing him the empty soup bowl. “It’s simple curiosity, nothing more.”

“Fair enough. To ease your…” He chuckled. “Curiosity, it does present a slight challenge for kissing of the French variety, but it is easy enough to get around.”

I blinked at him. “There is a French style of kissing?”

Alucard blinked at me, once, slowly. “Oh my.”

“What?”

He frowned. “You have never kissed anyone?”

I shook my head. “Hunter’s farm is isolated. The most I saw people were trips into town, but he kept me on a very short leash. He was also a bastard to everyone, not simply me, so no one visited.”

“That is…unfortunate.”

“I know of such things in writing,” I elaborated. “I have just never had a chance to…execute them.”

“Then it is fortunate you found your way to me,” Alucard whispered.

I shivered.

But differently than I ever have in my life.

I felt…hot. Inside. Like he’d lit a fire beneath the surface of my skin, particularly in my belly and lower. I hadn’t felt this way since I was younger, confused by my hormones until I’d stolen materials to read about my body’s development. I knew about things like arousal and sexual desire, but there were few times I’d felt them due to my isolation. But now…with a beautiful man mere inches away, alone with me in his castle, those bizarre sensations rushed back to me.

“For once you are healthy, you are free to leave this place and find a life,” Alucard finished, unaware of my feverish thoughts. I tried not to let my disappointment show. Of course he hadn’t meant that he would remedy this issue for me. It would be absurd and arrogant to assume such a thing. He was godlike. I was a freed servant, but still a servant. A man like him could never lust for a woman like me. I was grateful to even be in his presence.

“Right,” I said. “Thank you for lunch. I would like to get some rest.”

“Of course.” He gathered everything and left me there in bed, hurting and wanting in ways that I hadn’t ever before.

-

It only took me four days total to walk again.

My days with Alucard up until then followed the same schedule, but after that, I was able to explore the castle. He took me to his father’s vast library, the engine room, the dining hall, everywhere, and then down into the Belmont stronghold. It was harrowing but lovely. He would have years and years of reading to do if he intended to scour all of his father’s collections as well as the Belmont’s. It was impressive. I understood why he stayed here, for it would be a robber’s paradise to get their hands on anything within its walls.

I spent my recovery time reading or cooking, both with and without Alucard. He was a calm, friendly presence. I worried he would push me to leave once I was strong enough to move on my own, but he didn’t. He traveled into town for supplies and had asked if I wanted to tag along, but I wasn’t ready yet. My future was murky. I would need money and transportation. I wasn’t sure how to procure them just yet, which was part of my readings. I could find honest work, but I would still need a way to get to that without asking for Alucard’s help. He had already done enough for me, too much, in fact. I would find my own way. I couldn’t stay here forever.

Whether I wanted to or not.

After a week, I worked up the courage to ask him to teach me to fight. I would need it if I was going to travel alone. I could defend myself to an extent, but not against someone who had been trained. He obliged me, starting off with simple hand-to-hand combat, slowing his vampire senses and abilities to a crawl in order to teach me. I appreciated the steady pace, how he made it a little more difficult on me after each session, encouraging me to try harder and push myself more after every attempt. I studied many kinds of fighting in my free time as well, working on breathing and meditating since it too could help. Sometimes I asked him to show me things he could do, which he didn’t mind. He shapeshifted into a gorgeous white wolf once and I thought my heart would collapse. It was scary, but thrilling.

“And flying,” I said. “What’s that like? Do you levitate only when it’s necessary?”

“That is my preference, yes,” he agreed. “But it is pleasant, at times, to star-gaze in the upper atmosphere.”

“That sounds wonderful,” I sighed, envy filling me as we walked towards the staircase to leave the Belmont hold and head towards the castle. He didn’t reply. I should have known better.

Just before I reached the staircase, Alucard slipped an arm around my waist and pulled me back into his embrace. I froze, confused, but then my shoes skimmed the ground and we began to float. I yelped and he chuckled, securing me to him firmly. “Relax. I have you.”

The cool air brushed my hair back as he floated us up through the center of the Belmont hold. Such a strange sensation, like the gravity of a horseback ride but in reverse. I found myself giggling a little and swinging my feet in awe as we climbed up towards the heavens. He didn’t stop once we’d reached the ground; instead, he took me up past the trees and until we breached the horizon. The sun was setting and spilling its full colors over the sky. It was cold, but the view was well worth it.

“Beautiful,” I murmured reverently as the wind swept over us.

“Yes,” Alucard said, a smile in his voice. “It is.”

We stayed up there until the sun fully set, then returned to the castle for supper. I read for a while, then decided to take a bath before I settled in for the night.

And apparently, Alucard had the same idea.

I hadn’t been paying attention; my towel under one arm, my nose in a book, so when I opened the bathroom door, it wasn’t until I heard him clear his throat that I knew I had made a mistake.

There stood Alucard, dripping wet, completely naked.

Oh my.

He’d clearly just stepped out of the tub, for he hadn’t grabbed his towel yet. I’d gone completely still, like a frightened doe, my mouth open with no sound escaping. I had never seen anything so exquisite in my entire life. Vapor rose from his pearlescent skin almost lovingly. His musculature was exceptional, from the breadth of his broad shoulders to the narrow perfection of his waist, his legs slim and toned, his chest rippling with strength and agility, his golden hair now honey-brown where it lay wet trailing down his back, smoothed away from that flawless face. His high cheekbones were so much more noticeable now, fine as expensive China.

And before I could stop myself, my eyes wandered below his waist.

I knew the general shape of a naked man. The books on anatomy had shown me. Yet…the sight of Alucard’s cock made that all-consuming heat billow through me again in a scalding rush. Something deep inside me ached. I wanted to touch him. I wanted him to touch me. Everywhere. For somehow I knew it would be glorious.

I finally managed to gulp in some air and heard the sheer embarrassed panic in my own voice. “Excuse me!”

I fled the room and slammed the door shut, escaping into the guest room and locking it behind me. I collapsed against the door and covered my molten hot cheeks with both hands, trying to shake loose the mental image of him in all his naked glory. I cursed my carelessness and stumbled into bed, miserable as I knew it would be awkward in the morning. Mercifully, he didn’t chase after me. I tried to keep reading and then went to bed, but I tossed and turned the whole night, agitated in all the wrong ways. Twice, I caught my hand sliding between my thighs, wanting to relieve the ache resting there. I suffered in silence, refusing to give in, and the sun rose the next morning, bringing a headache with it. I hadn’t slept a wink. I shuffled out of the room, bathed, and then headed into the kitchen to face him.

He stood at the stove, brewing the hot water for the tea we usually drank, seeming unaffected. He tipped his head to me when I entered. “Bonjour, mademoiselle.”

He’d been teaching me greetings in other languages. I tried to smile. “Bonjour, mon ami.”

“I was able to find bacon this morning in town,” he said. “I’ll get that started shortly and—”

“Forgive me,” I blurted out, too nervous to stop myself. “About last night. I should have known to knock. It was careless and stupid and it won’t happen again, I promise.”

“It is alright,” he said in that same calming tone. “I am not upset with you.”

“Sorry,” I mumbled, crossing my arms under my chest. “I overreact sometimes. It’s just…when I made mistakes around Hunter, he would—”

“I know,” he said. After seeming to contemplate it for a second, he brushed my hair behind one ear. “You don’t have to do that with me. You are human. You make mistakes. I will never blame you for them nor will I raise a hand to you in anger. This I promise.”

I had no idea why, but somehow, that broke me. Tears came rushing out of me all at once. I cried into my hands, so hard that my shoulders shook with every hiccupping sob. Alucard moved quickly, wrapping me in his arms, holding me close. He folded me into his chest, murmuring gentle words to me, that I was somewhere safe, that I didn’t need to be afraid any longer. I couldn’t tell if it made it better or worse to hear such things. I didn’t realize how the trauma had affected me until now. Being without that pain I had come to know for so long…it had been such a burden. And I didn’t have to carry it anymore.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” I kept chanting, clinging to his shirt so I wouldn’t collapse to the floor in a heap.

“Shh,” he whispered, rubbing his hands over my shoulder blades, down to my waist, and up again in a comforting cycle. “Easy. Just breathe. I understand. I will not hurt you. Ever.”

“You’re so kind. Why? Why are you so kind to me?”

“You deserve kindness. You always have. You always will. It was simply denied to you by the cruel hands of fate. You won’t have to suffer that way again. Not here. You have learned so much already. And you’re strong, so strong, Diana. I am proud of how far you have come.”

I sunk into his touch. Eventually, it calmed me down. He wiped my tears away and smiled at me, though I knew I must have looked an absolute mess. A sudden conviction struck me as I stared up at him. “You deserve to be happy, Alucard. I don’t care what you’ve done. You are a good man. A good person. Please don’t hide yourself away in here forever. You’re not a relic. Alucard, you’re…you’re like the sun. The world would be colder without you.”

He inhaled sharply, his eyes a little wide. I didn’t shy away this time. He swallowed hard and nodded slowly, as if absorbing my words. “You are kind as well, fair lady.”

Gently, he bumped his forehead against mine. “Now run along and set the table before our tea gets cold.”

I laughed a little. “Very well.”

Days passed easily. The season started to change into springtime. We worked together to restore his mother’s indoor garden until it made most of the castle smell sweet. We harvested herbs for recipes and fresh bread, which was hard to learn how to make, but well worth it once I mastered it. We sold some of them at the market, which was a compromise that I could live with. Alucard gave me most of the earnings. I insisted he keep some of them, though I knew he had a fortune within the castle from his father’s inheritance. It was the principle of the thing. He had given me a second chance, so I wanted to pay him back in any way that I could.

The skies cleared and we went out onto the balcony to map out the constellations. He taught me astronomy and astrology, and sometimes we just stayed outside for hours, looking at the night sky without saying a word to each other. Such beautiful things in that cold, distant place. Like diamonds in a mine, waiting to be discovered.

It was on such a night, during a meteor shower, that something changed.

I’d been so wrapped up in watching the cascading lights that I hadn’t even noticed the cold until Alucard’s black, lined jacket slipped around my shoulders. He smiled at me and I smiled back, surrounded by his scent and warmth, closer than I’d ever been to him. I couldn’t have said what came over me then, but my lips parted and my voice came out breathy.

“Alucard…may I…I would…please, would you be my first kiss?”

My pulse throbbed in my neck, my heart beating much too fast, my mouth dry, my palms wet, as I waited for his answer. His smile softened, deepened, his eyes glittering under the moonlight.

“I would be honored.”

He curled a finger beneath my chin. He leaned in slowly, giving me time to be sure it was what I wanted, and I did. His warm breath touched my cheeks. My eyes fluttered shut. His lips brushed my own, so lightly, so gently, that my toes curled. They sealed to mine, soft as the feathers in my cot, yet ripe and plump as peaches. My head got light. Bliss filled me.

Kissing…was nice.

He held the kiss for a few of my heartbeats and then drew away. I licked my lips, sealing in the sweet flavor of him, still breathless. “Was that…did I do it right?”

“Oh, yes, my dear,” he said, something teasing in his eyes. “You did it quite right.”

“Was that the French way?”

“No.” He kissed me again, but this time, his tongue slipped out and licked my lower lip. I jumped, startled, but in a good way. He searched for the seam of my mouth and nudged my lips apart, sweeping his tongue against mine. I shivered all over, the pleasure intensifying as I did so in return. The tip of my tongue hit one of his incisors, not the sharp side, and I navigated away from it, towards his upper lip. He sighed into my mouth and pulled back a second time, but by now, we were both breathing hard.

“I like the French way,” I said absently, my words slurring from how deliriously good it had felt.

“And you are quite good at that too,” he told me. I blushed.

“Really?”

Alucard licked his lips. “Yes.”

“Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.” We returned to our star gazing, saying nothing more on the matter that night, but I went to bed tasting his lips on mine, the sweetest of flavors, and hungered for more.

-

Weeks stretched into months. Fall arrived. By then, I had saved a great deal of my earnings. It was now viable to consider moving away to establish myself.

And yet.

I didn’t want to go.

But I didn’t want to say that to him.

What if he wanted his solitude back? What if my presence encroached upon him? What if I made him unhappy? It would pain me to do so. I was too scared to ask, to assume he enjoyed my company enough to be with me long term. I could ask for a year, maybe longer, but it still frightened me. He could resent me and I would lose this special connection, this friendship that I valued so deeply. I would never want to lose him, but more than that, I would never want to hurt him.

I kept it to myself and enjoyed the time I had been given. I continued through the droves and droves of literature, wandering into poetry.

And that was when things inevitably complicated.

Scores and scores of poems described a complex, difficult emotion. It came in many forms and was expressed in many ways, but everything lined up to point to the same thing.

Love.

Did I love Alucard?

I had only known familial love, for a time, with my family. It was scary to think I loved Alucard, for it meant I could lose him and I wouldn’t recover from it, as I hadn’t with my family. I didn’t want him to become another scar.

But I couldn’t bury it like I could my past.

More and more, my thoughts turned to the fateful time when I’d seen him naked. I tried to shake it off, but I knew that I found him attractive. I wanted him. I didn’t necessarily know what to do with him, but I wanted him still. Finally, I decided that it would be the turning point for me. If he loved me and I loved him, then he would let me stay. If he didn’t, then I would leave.

I paced in my room, reading the most romantic poems I could, hoping they would lend me the courage to ask him what I wanted to ask him. I’d already failed to do so three nights in a row after dinner; I simply became too nervous to spit it out each time. Tonight, I would be brave. Tonight, I would find the words. Tonight, I would tell him the truth.

The time came. We ate. We walked back through the hallway towards our rooms, same as always, and I dug deep and hoped he couldn’t see my hands shaking.

“Alucard?”

“Yes?”

I stared at my hands. “I…there is something I wish to say.”

“Yes?”

“I care for you very deeply and I have these… _feelings_ sometimes where I want to…be with you…but I didn’t want to say anything for fear of harming what we are to one another. And…if perhaps you feel a similar way, I would like to…to…”

My lungs emptied of air. I couldn’t think of how to say it. It just wouldn’t come out right. I must have sounded like such a fool to him.

Alucard’s hand cupped my chin and lifted my face. He kissed me tenderly and then let me go, my breath shallow. He ran his thumb down my cheekbone. “To make love to me?”

I blushed profusely. “Y-Yes, if you would have me.”

He smiled. “I would be honored. Truly.”

His fingers slipped through mine. He led me towards the master bedroom, his steps steady and sure. Blood rushed through my ears, roaring at me, my thoughts jumbled and panicked as I followed him. We entered an enormous space, warmly decorated, the bed huge and inviting. Alucard pushed the door shut and led me to it. He kissed my forehead and rubbed my shoulders until some of the tension flowed out of me.

“I know you’re frightened,” he said, kissing my temple as well. “It is natural to feel that way the first time. I need you to relax, above all. I will take care of you. I promise. If it becomes too much at any point, you only need to say the word and I will stop. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

He kissed my cheek next. “You will feel strangely at first. You will want to pull away from me, for what has been done to you in the past may have affected your ability to be vulnerable. Just remember these words: you are safe with me. Say it.”

I drew a deep breath. “I am safe with you.”

“Yes,” he whispered. “Good girl.”

I shuddered, tingling from head to toe at his words. He hovered near my ear. “Do you like being praised, Diana?”

“I…think so?”

“Very well. I will praise you. Do not feel embarrassed if you enjoy it.” He kissed my lips. “Turn around for me.”

I pivoted. He brushed my hair over my shoulder and started to undo the buttons. I tensed. “Alucard, I have—”

“I know,” he said gently. “Had I not already killed the bastard, I would do so again, slowly, extending it so that he knew the true meaning of pain when I was finally done with him.”

The dress drooped in the back, revealing my lash marks. Alucard sighed and lowered his lips to my revealed skin, kissing each one. I clung to the front of the dress, trembling as the pleasure of his touch seemed to overwhelm me with heat. My nipples tightened and hardened to beads as he traveled down the length of my spine, kissing the scarred flesh until he reached the small of my back. His fingers slowly drew down the sleeves until the dress pooled at my feet, leaving me in nothing but underwear. I covered my breasts with both arms, suddenly too exposed, too nervous from his attentions.

“Good girl,” Alucard purred in my ear, his hands flat to my back, running his fingers lightly over my skin. “Sweet Diana, won’t you relax for me?”

“I…I’ll try,” I whimpered.

“Very good. Lie down on the bed.”

I stepped out of my shoes and sat on the edge of the bed, clinging to my biceps. I worked up the nerve to lie flat and scooted my way onto the silken sheets. Alucard’s scent clung to the bed, and it did help a little.

“Diana,” he cooed.

“Y-Yes?”

“Please open your eyes for me.”

I swallowed hard and obeyed him. He stood much closer now, near my feet, his amber eyes intently focused on me. He drew the shirt up and off of his body. I trembled harder on the bed, panting at the sight of all that beautiful pale skin and powerful muscles, the scar on his chest reminding me that he too was a survivor.

“It’s alright,” he whispered. “I want you to look. I am yours to enjoy.”

He settled his hands on my ankles and slid them up my calves, stroking patiently, rubbing his palms against the delicate skin he himself had healed not too long ago.

“Sweet Diana,” he breathed. “Will you spread your legs for me?”

I nodded shakily and did my very best to part my legs. “Good girl. You have very pretty legs, Diana. I like them. I like the color of your skin, so rich, so brown, so enticing.”

He lowered his lips enough to kiss the inside of my right knee. I cried out unexpectedly, but the sound was different than I heard before. It wasn’t of pain. Just…surprise. And something else. It…had felt good. Very, very good, in fact.

Alucard crawled onto the bed and carefully nudged my legs wider, kissing slowly up my leg. His hair was heavy and so soft, softer than anything I’d ever felt before, tickling me as he worked his way down to my inner thigh. He parted his lips enough to lick me there, so close to my pelvis, and I hissed, shaken to my core by how good it felt. Wetness pooled at my center beneath my underwear.

“Your skin is so sweet, Diana,” he continued, switching to my other leg and kissing his way back towards my knee. “So lovely. So delicate.”

He climbed a little higher, kissing my navel next. The fire in my belly spread out into all of my limbs. He kissed up the center of my stomach, not stopping until he reached where my arms crossed over my breasts protectively. He wrapped his fingers around my wrists and lifted his gaze to mine. “I wish to see you, all of you, Diana. May I see you?”

“I…I don’t…but I’m not very…and you’re so…”

“You are beautiful,” he told me. “I do not care about the scars. They are a part of you.”

I swallowed hard and finally let my arms go slack in his grip. He lowered my arms to my sides. I gripped the sheets to give myself something to do as his gaze poured over my naked flesh.

“Do you know what your name means?” he asked.

I shook my head. His eyes sparkled briefly. “Divine. And you are so very divine, aren’t you, Diana?”

I blushed even harder. He kissed my breastbone before bringing up one hand and closing it over my left breast. I moaned as he tweaked the nipple and then ran his thumb over it, his fingers lightly squeezing, driving flustered gasps out of me. His lips covered the hardened nub and his tongue swept over it, sending an exhilarating rush down my body that made me squirm. He sucked and licked, low groans in his throat, signaling that he was enjoying it as much as I was. That filled me with a strange pride.

He switched to my other breast, somehow perfectly avoiding nicking my skin with his fangs as he drew it deeper into the hot cavern of his mouth. I bucked up into him by accident and felt the first brush of his cock against my belly. He hissed and let go immediately, pressing his hand to my tummy and shoving me flat on the bed. I thought I’d done something wrong, but then he kissed my lips to distract me as he slipped his knees under my thighs and widened my legs even further. He sunk down until our bodies aligned and rocked into me, the material of his trousers dragging against my center.

“Ah! Alucard!” I cried, unready for the sudden sharp pleasure that flickered up my body.

“Easy,” he cooed. “There’s a good girl. Relax for me.”

He kissed the spot under my jaw. “Touch me, Diana. You can touch me if you wish.”

I hadn’t realized that I’d wanted or needed the permission. Something tight in my chest eased at his words. I wrapped my arms around his neck, steadied as I felt his smooth skin. His chest grazed my sensitive breasts as he rose and fell over me, grinding his cock through the trousers against my sex. Bolts of pleasure shot down my legs and up through my chest. He felt so good. I thought I would go mad.

“Diana,” he whispered in my ear.

“Y-Yes?”

“I wish to taste you.” He slid his hand down my belly until it cupped my sex. “Here. May I taste you here, sweet Diana?”

“W-Why?”

“It will make you feel very good,” he promised. “And it will make you more ready for me.”

“Oh. Y-Yes, you can…do that.”

“Good girl. Thank you.” He pushed my thighs together enough to remove my underwear. He slid down my body again and pushed my legs as far as he could get them to comfortably go. I couldn’t stand to see him there, examining every inch of me. He had been right. I wanted to run or to hide beneath the sheets, even though everything he had done to me so far felt sublime.

“You will want to close your legs once I start,” Alucard said, draping my thighs over his broad shoulders. “That’s normal. You don’t have to resist it.”

“Resist what?”

“It’s a little hard to explain. You won’t know what it is exactly, but you’ll feel very overwhelmed with sensation where I touch you. I want you to let it happen. Let it take you. Can you do that for me?”

I nodded too many times. “I’ll try.”

“Good girl.” I twitched as his warm breath spilled over my inner thighs again, but closer to my dripping wet sex.

Then it happened.

He licked me.

And I had never felt anything so good in my entire life.

“Oh! Oh, Alucard!” I couldn’t believe I’d made such sounds, but the rough, wet texture of his tongue across my delicate inner walls sent me spinning headfirst into bliss. My legs did indeed try to close around his head, but I managed not to do it. Alucard sighed wistfully and repeated the gesture, his tongue long and dexterous. He traced my outer walls, finding the throbbing spot near the top of my pelvis and lavishing it with attention until I was mewling like a kitten for him. Then he angled his mouth down over me and pushed his tongue within my soaking entrance.

I sobbed out his name, sifting my hands into his golden locks and tugging. “A-Alucard, please, oh, please!”

“You are so sweet, Diana,” he growled after he withdrew the first time. “Such a good, sweet girl for me.”

He returned to his good work, thrusting his tongue into me steadily. I writhed under him with all my might, driven mad by his sinful mouth. The pleasure at my center just expanded out into my limbs and filled me to the brim, until I knew somehow something would snap. “Alucard, please!”

“Let it take you,” he urged. “Just let go.”

He slid his mouth up to that sensitive knot again and slipped two fingers inside me. The penetration had been exactly what I’d never known that I needed. Instantly, my walls clamped down over the long, slender digits and my body took flight. It felt like I burst into a million shards. I couldn’t do anything but scream.

The cresting wave of pleasure lasted for several minutes. Gradually, I floated back into awareness. Sweat coated my skin in a fine sheen all over. My inner thighs were sopping wet to the touch. My whole body felt melted down like steel in a forge.

Alucard crawled up enough to kiss me, his lips clean of my essence. “That was so lovely, Diana. Thank you for letting me enjoy you.”

“You’re welcome,” I croaked, and he laughed.

“I am going to undress now,” he said once the laughter subsided. “Is that alright?”

I nodded, biting my lower lip. He unlaced his trousers and pushed them off. I nearly lost my head again. Alucard’s cock had been impressive enough before he had been aroused. Now? I didn’t know what to do with myself.

“I’m too small!” I wailed before I could help it, covering my face with both hands.

Alucard chuckled. “My dear, you must relax. I promised not to hurt you, didn’t I?”

“I know, but…how is all of that going to…to…”

He pulled my hands away. “Do you trust me?”

That stopped me dead. I thought about it. Then I just nodded. He kissed my forehead. “Good.”

He scooped me up and carried me towards the head of the bed, sliding me under the sheets. I felt a tiny bit better with something covering my legs. He brushed my hair out of my eyes and his stare enraptured me completely, as it had when we first met.

“It will hurt a great deal, at first,” he said softly. “But the pain will not last forever. I promise.”

I wrapped my arms around him and told myself to be brave, that I wanted this, to be one with him this way. He took it as a sign to move forward and guided the tip of his cock into me. At first, I only felt pressure. Then, as he eased into me, sharp, stabbing pain. I cried out and pressed my face into his shoulder, my nails digging into his pale, perfect skin. He halted at the sound, worried, and held still, letting me adjust. It wasn’t easy. It felt like a knife had been buried in my gut, even after such wonderful sensations made me wet.

“Are you alright?” he murmured to me.

“Y-Yes,” I lied.

“Do you want me to stop?”

“No.”

Alucard kissed my cheek. “My brave girl.”

He withdrew, giving me some space to breathe, and then returned to me, still not attempting to fit every inch of him inside. I did my best to weather the storm, wondering if all the poets and writers had all been lying through their teeth about the wonders of lovemaking.

At least, at first.

It wasn’t quick, but after a time, it hurt less and less. I still pulsed painfully around him, but the stabbing sensation had stopped. The pressure took my breath away. Not in a bad way. In a strange way.

Eventually, his cock slipped in all the way and that was when everything changed. Instead of a frisson of pain, a shuddering wave of pleasure found its way up my spine on the next thrust. Oh. That was…new.

He did it again, slower this time. My eyes rolled back in my head. I flopped back onto the pillow, the tension easing out of me as the heavenly pulse between my thighs returned a third, fourth, fifth time, surrounding my senses in euphoria. Alucard purred on top of me and the vibrations made me clench harder around his cock in response. He kissed my lips in between thrusts, breathing out in satisfied sighs, his movements slow and sensual.

“Sweet Diana,” Alucard murmured to me. “You feel so good to me. Do I feel good to you?”

“Yes, God, yes, Alucard,” I whimpered, winding my legs around his calves to hold him closer to me, clinging to the heat and heaviness of his powerful frame.

“May I go faster, my sweet?”

“Yes, please, more, please.”

Alucard shifted on top of me, redistributing his weight, and then quickened his pace. He slipped into me farther, faster, deeper, harder. And every second of it felt amazingly good.

“Oh…oh, Alucard, please…there’s…right there…it’s…I can’t…mm…” I couldn’t piece together what I meant as something inside me just kept building and building, filling me up.

“You are going to come,” he whispered to me. “You came before on my tongue, and now you will come on my cock. It’s alright. I want you to come for me, Diana.”

“But it feels so…and I can’t just…Alucard, _please._ ”

He kissed my neck, my cheek, dropping one hand and gripping my backside with it, pulling me up into his lap so that his cock slid into me at an angle. He rutted into me roughly, his breath hot in my ear, his voice nothing more than a feral growl that made me tighten around him. “Focus on me. Don’t run from it. I want you to feel this way with me. I want you to stay with me, Diana. I want to be where you are. Always. You are a beautiful, vibrant soul. Come for me. Come with me.”

His passionate urging drove me to my ultimate height. I clung to him, moaning out his name as he pushed me over the edge into euphoria. I hurtled towards oblivion itself. I’d never known anything on Earth could feel this good, this right, this fulfilling. Better still, I knew he had joined me in our mad scramble for pleasure from the sultry groans he let out. He pulled out quite suddenly and spilled onto my stomach, hissing out my name in ecstasy. He pressed his sweaty forehead to mine, the perfumed glory of his hair surrounding me in gold. We stayed there in an exhausted tangle of limbs for a long while, breathing each other in, enjoying the stillness we’d found.

“I love you,” I whispered. “More than anything. You make me feel safe, Alucard.”

He opened his eyes then and his smile was like light breaking at dawn. “And I love you, Diana divine, for you make me feel as if I deserve this happiness.”

“That is all I ever wanted.” I kissed him as the night melted away, a bright morning on its way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Diana learns the joys of sex. PWP.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mmyeah, I'm still thirsty and impatient for Castlevania season three, sorry, not sorry.

_You love me especially different_

_Every time, you keep me on my feet_

_Happily, excited by your cologne, your hair_

_Your smile, your intelligence_

_You woo me_

_You court me_

_You tease me_

_You please me_

_You school me_

_Give me some things to think about_

_Ignite me_

_You invite me_

_You co-write me_

_You love me_

_You like me_

_-"He Loves Me" by Jill Scott_

Of all the things that Alucard showed me since we met, lovemaking was by far the best.

It rocked me to my very core how patient he was with me in all things, but none so much as making love to me. I was a little sore after our first night together, but the next night, I was eager to try it again.

“Are you certain?” he asked as he ran his hands up my arms and back down again; a familiar, fond gesture that always put me at immediate ease around him. “I don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“I’m okay,” I told him. “I…want to try again.”

Then I tensed and blurted out, “B-But only if you want to! I’m sorry. I sound selfish, don’t I? I don’t mean to pressure you into it if you don’t want to—”

Alucard kissed me silent. “Sweet Diana, if there is one thing you must understand above all, it is that I will always want to make you feel good. I know you are shy, but you do not have to be. Speak your mind, for I value it deeply. Tell me everything, always, even that which you fear.”

I swallowed hard, trying not to sound too meek as I spoke. “I’ll try. I just…I would like you to show me things that you like as well.”

My cheeks burned with another invisible blush. “I…want to please you too, Alucard.”

He chuckled softly. “You do so just by being yourself, my dear.”

His amber eyes glittered for a moment, a sly smile touching his soft lips. “But I will certainly take advantage of your generosity.”

He slipped his arms around me and kissed me, his hands going to work on the buttons holding my dress together. I shivered as he slipped one beneath the cloth and gently stroked the small of my back, then up my spine to my shoulder blades, his fingertips finding and tracing my scars. I still felt so ashamed of them, but I knew I didn’t need to be. He treated them with care, perhaps wanting me to understand that they weren’t as ugly as I thought them to be.

I worked up the courage to slip my hands beneath his shirt and flattened my palms to his abdomen, my head getting light as I felt his hot, smooth skin. Alucard sighed into my mouth and I opened my eyes just slightly, reading his pleased expression. “Do you like this, Alucard?”

“Yes,” he breathed as I ran my hands up towards his chest. “Very much, my sweet.”

He pulled my dress down until it fell to the floor and let his hands roam over more of my bared skin, his kisses deepening. I reached for my courage again and tugged at his shirt until he removed it himself. Then I echoed how he had touched me, gently, lightly, exploring all of his pale skin until his hands closed over my waist and he lifted me all of the sudden.

“Oh!” I squeaked and wrapped my arms around his neck. My legs encircled his waist out of habit alone as he strode for the bed. He settled me on it and took off his trousers and shoes as well as my own. His lips found my throat and I cried out for him, unready for the rush of pleasure that enveloped me. My fingers tangled in his golden hair and tugged, which made him hum along my skin as he kissed down towards my breasts. His searing, wet mouth came down on the first one, his tongue quick as it swiped over my hardened nipple. I mewled as he used his teeth to pluck lightly at it, the contrast of softness and playfulness making me tremble underneath him. He stroked my other breast in his hand, letting it fall against his palm and circling, massaging, stroking. I was panting by the time he finished and dripped kisses down the center of my belly. He didn’t remove my underwear right away, instead rubbing his tongue against the cloth to find me beneath it. I writhed and mumbled his name, the friction sending shuddering waves of pleasure through my skin. His tongue circled my spot and then dragged heavily over my sex, his lips sucking until he could taste me through it. I whimpered and draped my legs over his shoulders, my voice cracking slightly. “A-Alucard, what are you doing?”

“Teasing you,” he said simply, running one hand up the offered section of outer thigh I’d presented him.

“W-Why?”

He gave me a little smirk. “I like the sounds that you make when I tease you.”

I blushed even harder. “Oh.”

Alucard chuckled at my expression and lifted up enough to finally remove the panties, settling my legs over his shoulders once again. “Sweet Diana?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Do you enjoy it when I taste you?”

I nodded vigorously. His smirk widened. “Would you be good enough to tell me so?”

I fidgeted. “I, um…I like it when you…taste me, Alucard.”

“Hmm,” he sighed contently, warm air brushing over my pelvis. “It sounds so very nice when you say it.”

“Do you want me to say more things like that?”

He kissed the inside of my thigh. “Only if you feel comfortable enough.”

I fidgeted more, but managed to nod again. “I-I can try it out, if you like.”

“Thank you,” he breathed, kissing my other thigh. “You are so considerate, my Diana divine. Let me show you how much I appreciate it.”

His lips parted, revealing his tongue, and the talented appendage dipped low, sliding up from my entrance to my clit. I bit my lip to stifle a scream and couldn’t help flinging my head back onto the sheets. I gripped them tightly as the first scalding flash of ecstasy shook me to the core. His touch was like electricity: undeniable and powerful and scary. He could do things to unravel me with the slightest effort. I was truly his woman.

He circled my clit with the tip of his tongue so lovingly that I couldn’t help slipping my fingers into his satin locks and tugging on them, desperate to get him to stop. “Please, Alucard, please.”

“You enjoy this,” he murmured before sucking the highly sensitive bud between his lips. “You do not have to make me stop for fear of coming too soon. I want you to come as many times as you are able.”

Alucard ran his hands up my sides and let them curl over my breasts, caressing them slowly as he catered to me, licking and lapping against my slick center over and over. His mouth slanted open wider and he pushed his tongue inside me, losing it inside me again and again until I was moaning his name loud enough that it echoed throughout the bedroom.

“Alucard, oh, please, please, I can’t, I can’t!” I cried, unable to help gyrating up into his touch.

“You can,” he whispered back to me. “And you will. You will come for me, Diana. Say it.”

I shook my head. “Please, Alucard, it’s too much.”

“Surrender,” he urged. “It’s alright, my love. Say you’ll come.”

He buried his tongue inside me, deeper, his hands finding my hips and holding me still as he worked furiously. I couldn’t stand another second of it. “I’m coming, Alucard! I’m coming! I’m coming for you, oh, oh, ahhhh!”

I screamed as the tidal wave of nirvana drowned me. Alucard growled against my sopping wet cunt and drove his tongue as far as he could reach, his lips greedily accepting the nectar that spilled forth. He returned his devious attentions to my clit again, raising up enough to slide his middle finger into me and pumping it in quickly, curling it to brush against another tender place hidden within. I convulsed in a second climax in under a minute, the room filled with the sound of his lips slurping over my cunt and my frantic gasps for air.

He eased me down against the bed and petted me with that same gentle patience, stroking my sides until my breathing slowed and I came around. My eyes opened just in time to see him retract his finger and lick it clean, following suit with his lips. He wiped his chin with the back of his hand, considering me for a moment, and then smiled before licking that off as well. If I blushed any harder, I’d die.

“Was…was that okay?” I asked sheepishly.

“That,” he said, dropping a soft kiss to my lips. “Was wonderful. You were very vocal. I was pleased to hear you so thoroughly enjoying my touch.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “Everything you do to me feels so good, Alucard. I almost feel like I don’t deserve it.”

“There is no reason to feel that way,” he told me, brushing my hair away from my cheek. “You are always deserving of pleasure, of care, of love. You always have been and you always will be, do you understand?”

I touched his cheek. “As long as you understand the same.”

His eyes widened slightly, and then a fond look settled into them. “Yes, my sweet.”

He kissed my palm. “I wish to try something new with you. Are you up for it?”

“Yes.”

He gathered me in his arms and then surprised me by rolling over, settling me astride his lap. I suddenly felt so exposed without the heavy weight above me. Then there was the sight of him, of Alucard, beneath me, his golden hair spread out on the pillow, his limpid eyes fixated on me. He looked like an angel and as if he had captured some lost creature during his mission.

“Alucard,” I said, greatly flustered by the change. “I-I can’t, I don’t know how to—”

“It’s alright,” he soothed me, stroking my thighs to get me to relax in his lap. “Breathe. Focus on me.”

I took his advice and tried to calm down, remembering that I was safe and cared for, that he loved me and I loved him, that this was our little safe haven together. “Look at me, my sweet.”

I swallowed hard and opened my eyes to see the splendor of him before me. He brushed the back of his fingers against my cheek. “You needn’t be afraid or ashamed. I love every inch of you.”

I bit my lower lip shyly. “Will you show me? Will you show me what you like, Alucard?”

“Yes,” he purred, his eyes gleaming eagerly. “I will show you.”

Alucard’s hips lifted slightly as he slid his undergarments off and then was naked before me again, which took my breath away for several seconds. He was stunning. A work of art. I was humbled to be in the presence of such beauty. He read the look on my face and gave me another soft smile. “Do you wish to touch me, Diana?”

“Yes, please,” I whispered.

He gently gripped my wrists and brought them up to his shoulders. “Touch me. I am yours. Anywhere you like, any way you like.”

I let my hands wander all over him, feeling the power and strength in those broad shoulders and chest, and the lithe grace in his sculpted abdomen. His skin flushed in response to the attention, his breathing deepening and quickening. I felt a rush of confidence and excitement knowing that I could please him in spite of my inexperience.

Then, I reached his cock.

Oh my, what a lovely thing.

I sent a furtive glance up at his face as I encircled it with my fingers, blushing profusely. He pulsed in my hand, his skin smooth and perfect and very hot. His eyelids fluttered a bit when I first touched him, but I could tell he liked it, so I followed my instincts. I squeezed as gently as possible and he exhaled, licking his lips and continuing to run his hands up and down my legs.

I stroked him up and down the shaft, rewarded with steady, low groans of pleasure from him. The tip of him glistened with wetness not unlike my own, so I used it, and it made the movements easier. “Do you like this, Alucard?”

“Mm, yes, my pet,” he moaned out. “Yes, I like it very much.”

“I’m glad.” I twisted my hand slightly each time I reached the head of his cock and he hissed, but in a good sort of way. His hips couldn’t help but thrust upward, as if he wanted to feel my warmth, so I scooted forward enough that it placed him between my legs. A sultry growl left him then and his amber eyes practically glowed up at me with lust.

“Now,” he told me urgently, gripping my waist enough to lift me. “May I have you now, sweet Diana?”

“Yes.” I shuddered as he guided me to the right spot. He pushed me down onto his cock, not too fast, but I felt his need in that one gesture as well as my own. The pain didn’t magically disappear; I winced as his long cock split me and the pain of entry made me seize up. Alucard immediately noticed and held still halfway in.

“It’s okay,” I told him through shallow breaths as bravely as possible.

Alucard brought his hand between us and flattened his thumb to my clit, allowing his fingers to gently rove over my outer edges. He rubbed the spot slowly, carefully, and I moaned in surprise as fluttering sensations of pleasure spread out between my legs. It made me relax enough to sink onto him completely and the pain receded faster than it had the previous night. I was soaking wet from everything he’d done to me so far, so it had readied me to accept him better. I felt peculiar, but not bad.

He gripped my arms just above my elbows and tugged me down to meet him, kissing me. “How beautiful you look.”

Alucard brushed my hair behind my ear and then pressed his palm flat to my lower belly. “Move forward against my hand.”

I anchored my hands over his chest for stability and obeyed. I pushed my hips forward. It made his cock push deeper inside, butting against the end of me, but as I relaxed, it retreated. The pressure against my inner walls was something else, the exact middle between pleasure and discomfort. What tipped the scales was the way Alucard sighed my name and spread his long fingers out over my brown skin. The contrast of his paleness against my darkness excited me more, made me want to draw more sounds out of him, made me want him to feel as good as he’d made me feel. I kept going.

“Yes, that’s it,” Alucard sighed as he licked his lips. “Take your pleasure from me, sweet Diana.”

“A-Alucard,” I protested, once more shy from his words. He slid his hand from my belly up over my chest, between my breasts, until his fingers wrapped around my throat. He stroked it as I rose and fell on his cock, eventually gliding his hand up to cup my chin. His thumb played lightly over my parted lips, tracing their shape. I turned my face into his hand, kissing his palm as he had done to mine earlier, and he groaned against at my touch. I lost my head at that, needing more from him, so I quickened my pace as I dropped onto his cock. My spine bowed as he snapped his hips up as I came down to meet him, driving him deeper, the pleasure flowing down my sweaty, naked skin like honey.

“Oh, Alucard,” I whimpered. “I…I want to…”

“Yes,” he breathed back to me as he slid his hands down my spine until they hit my backside. “So do I. Come with me, Diana. Let’s come together.”

He gripped a handful each of my plump flesh and pushed me down onto him, his hips circling underneath me, which made my slick walls grip him so tightly that I cried out. Alucard hissed as he felt my cunt fluttering over his cock in warning. “You are holding back, my love. There is no need. I am where you are. I love what you do to me, how you make me feel. Give in to it.”

I shook my head slightly. “B-But I want more.”

He chuckled and sat up, kissing my neck, his voice tinged with good humor and lust. “And more you shall have, Diana divine. But I want you, here and now.”

He lifted me again, wrapping my legs around his narrow hips, settling on his knees, and before I could do anything, he bounced me onto his cock roughly, no more than five or six times. I threw my head back and screamed as it drove me over the edge into my climax, scratching my nails down his chest. Alucard released a rumbling growl of approval and pulled out just in time, his cock spilling onto my stomach as he came with me. I seized a fistful of his golden hair and kissed him hard, nearly hard enough to press his sharp incisors into my lips if I wasn’t careful. Our tongues lashed and fought each other as we both floated down from the heavens a minute at a time. I was grateful his arms had wound around me, for I was utterly spent and nearly flopped to the bed in a heap.

Alucard eased me onto my back and slid away, rising from the bed for a moment. He returned with a damp cloth and cleaned me up before sliding back into bed. I wiggled down into his embrace fearlessly and shut my eyes, listening to his heartbeat return to normal. “Alucard?”

“Mm?” he asked, running his fingers through my hair.

“I like sex.”

He laughed. “As do I, my darling.”

“Good.” I kissed his sternum. “I wish to have it again sooner rather than later.”

“Oh, my dear,” he teased in my ear. “Be careful what you wish for.”

I had overheard the married women in town complaining of their husbands’ awful bedroom antics, primarily that it was short and disappointing and as soon as the man achieved his needs, there would be nothing else for the remainder of the night. Enough of them agreed that I thought that it was impossible for a man to engage in sex more than once in the same night.

Apparently, I was wrong.

I had drifted off to a light nap in his arms, perhaps for an hour or two, and then woke, nuzzling him just because it felt so nice to be near him. He had kissed me, just affectionately, nothing forward about it, and something in me responded hungrily. I kissed him back voraciously and in minutes, we were tangled in the sheets once more. Alucard towered above me, his hands planted on either side of my head, watching me writhe underneath him as he pounded my soft body into the bed, his cock hard and relentless inside me. I clutched his forearms and cried out helplessly, restless and starving for more of him even as he gave me everything I wanted. I couldn’t believe what he’d done to me, how he’d made me so wanton, my legs spread wide to let him in as far as he could go. I’d never felt anything so wondrous in my entire life than the way he so roughly took me, yet the pleasure was as overwhelming and decadent as the first time we’d made love.

“Diana,” he cooed from inches away, the lilt in his tone making goosebumps rise over my flesh.

“Y-Yes?” I panted out.

“It feels so incredible inside you,” he purred. “My sweet girl. You are so good to me. Will you say it for me?”

“Say…say what?”

“Mm, that you are a good girl,” he whispered wickedly.

I shuddered deeply, my toes curling. “A-Alucard, please.”

“Yes,” he urged, kissing my throat. “Yes, I wish to hear it, my pet.”

How could I not acquiesce his request when he’d treated me with such care, given me such pleasure? It took me a moment to gather the strength, for his powerful sex left me in a weak little puddle underneath his sure, strong thrusts. “I…I’m a good girl.”

Alucard hummed against my skin. “Yes, you are. You are a good girl. Such a good girl. Your cunt is so sweet. You are so wet for me.”

“Oh, gods, Alucard!” My spine arched at his words, and I did not know why.

“So wet,” he whispered hoarsely, licking over my pulse. “So tight around my cock. I love the way you feel, darling. Say it again.”

“I’m a good girl.”

Alucard shivered above me and changed the angle of his thrusts, somehow hitting a hidden spot inside me that made me scream his name. “Yes, that’s it. Come for me like a good girl. Come around my cock. Take it inside you, so deep inside, where you are mine and mine alone.”

“Alucard!” I sobbed out his name and clung to him for dear life as I cascaded into my climax at his command. I all but flew apart beneath him, slipping out of my skin and up into the heavens, and he followed me not a moment later. He shifted on the bed to lie flush to me as he sheathed himself inside me to the hilt, filling me more than he ever had before, caging me between his arms as he kissed me. For a fleeting second, I wished to feel his release from inside, no matter the consequences, just a blind, animal instinct that wanted the extra pleasure of knowing that I had satisfied him. Alucard must have felt the same, for he waited until the last possible second to withdraw and spend himself on the sheets below.

“Oh, my darling,” he sighed a while later, kissing my temple. “That was exquisite.”

“Yes,” I mumbled drunkenly. “I’m…mm…so sleepy, is that normal?”

Alucard chuckled lightly. “Of course. I have put quite a strain on this beautiful body tonight.”

“You will not hear me complaining.”

“Nor I.” He kissed me and then eased me onto my side. “Sleep, my love.”

“Alucard?”

“Yes?”

“Can we make love tomorrow night too?”

“As many times as you wish.”

I grinned up at him then. “Be careful what you wish for.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alucard and Diana run into a little trouble in town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Us: Wow, Alucard really got the short end of the stick at the end of season two. We feel so bad for him. He's so kind and he did the right thing and we just want him to be happy.
> 
> Warren Ellis: I see. So what if I did the exact opposite of that?
> 
> Us: ...what?
> 
> Warren Ellis: What if I made the end of season three even more painful than the end of season two?
> 
> Us: Um, no. Please don't do that. That's not at all what we asked for--
> 
> Warren Ellis: It's too late and I'm making tea with your river of tears now, bye.
> 
> SO.
> 
> I AM NOT HANDLING THE END OF SEASON THREE WELL.
> 
> IT IS ONE AM AND I HAVE TO BE UP AT SIX BUT I AM TOO ANGRY TO SLEEP.
> 
> SO I WROTE MORE OF THIS BECAUSE ALUCARD FUCKING DESERVES BETTER AND I WILL GIVE IT TO HIM MY FUCKING SELF SINCE WARREN ELLIS REFUSES TO DO RIGHT BY HIM OR HIS PARTNERS OKAY BYE.

_My beloved monster and me_

_We go everywhere together_

_Wearing a raincoat that has four sleeves_

_Gets us through all kinds of weather_

_She will always be the only thing_

_That comes between me and the awful sting_

_That comes from living in a world that's so damn mean_

_-"My Beloved Monster" by Eels_

For all its daunting aura, the castle grounds supplied us with many things to eat, but there were some things Alucard visited the town for on occasion. He went in disguise, masquerading as a religious figure who wore robes and covered his face. The townsfolk thought it strange, but they were still happy to buy from him on the occasions he sold the bread and herbs. He asked me a few times if I felt up for traveling with him, but I declined. I still had emotional scars from being Hunter’s slave. The townsfolk knew slavery was not supposed to be tolerated in those parts, but none of them spoke up. They let me suffer alone, too scared or apathetic to lift a hand. Some were at the very least kind to me, but they were on rare occasions.

However, being with Alucard made me believe in myself and in what I could be strong enough to do.

So, one morning, I accompanied him.

He dressed me in a similar pair of black robes with a covering for my face and we took the wagon into town. I helped him set up his space in the market and helped him stock up while people drifted by to pay for their items. They were cordial with him, which was nice to see, but it was still unfortunate that he couldn’t show his face. Dracula had left quite a mark on the world by now. It was possible they didn’t know what Dracula’s son looked like, but if someone did, then there’d be an attempted siege of the castle by the entire town and it would be hell on Alucard to defend himself. He still had a sense of mercy for people and wouldn’t want to be forced to kill them in self-defense.

I left to refill our water canteens in the springs nearby. I had been here before, if I was lucky and Hunter was too busy drunk at the nearest tavern to notice where I’d gone. I took my time, enjoying the sunlight and the forest and the wildlife.

And when I turned to go, I was no longer alone.

There were three men standing behind me.

I kept perfectly still.

“Well, well,” the tallest one in the center said before crunching into an apple. “Haven’t seen you ‘round this parts before. You the merchant’s wife?”

I nodded meekly. I recognized them. Layabouts, mostly. They worked at the paper mill and went to the tavern every night to drink and complain about their ugly wives. They had been associates of Hunter’s.

“You one of them…what’s it called…Muslims?”

I swallowed hard and just nodded again.

The fat man to his left let out an ugly laugh. “So you have to wear that get up everywhere? What about in the house? Must be awful hard to play around under there.”

“I’m sorry,” I said as I scooped up the canteens. “But I must get back, if you’ll excuse me.”

The skinny man to his right peered at me. “Hey, I know that voice.”

“I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken,” I said briskly, trying to edge past them, but they advanced.

“Yeah,” the man in the center said, tossing the apple core aside. “You’re right. Something about those eyes. All big and brown like a deer right before you cut ‘er throat.”

“Please, excuse me—”

He lunged for me. I launched the canteen at his head. It smacked him hard and he grunted, stumbling to one side. I grabbed his shoulder and swung him into the fat man. They crashed into the underbrush in a heap.

The last man grabbed my hood and yanked hard, disrobing my head covering. I shoved him off of me, scrambling for it, but it was too late.

“You!” he spat. “Hunter’s little bitch. We ain’t see him in a while. What the hell did you do to him, you dirty rat?”

“I have done nothing,” I snarled. “Get away from me.”

“You killed him, didn’t you? You think you’re just gonna get away with that, you filthy animal?” He swung at me. I ducked and dodged the blows, kicking his kneecap so that he stumbled. He whirled and backhanded me. I fell against a nearby tree and stars burst against my eyes as my forehead hit the rough bark of its trunk. I lashed my foot out as I heard the dirt shifting and managed to trip him up. I lunged to my feet and ran.

Straight into Alucard.

Oh no.

I felt the brush of air that indicated he’d used his supernatural speed to arrive here. He stared down at me with piercing eyes, his disguise gone, cold fury in his pale features. Blood slid down the side of my face. He tilted my chin up with a finger, watching the blood’s journey down my cheekbone.

“You men have drawn blood,” Alucard said very quietly. “So I will draw some of my own.”

His upper body bunched into an attack posture that I instantly recognized. I threw my arms around him. “No! Please, don’t! Please, please, Alucard, it’s okay! It’s not worth it.”

“Not worth it?” he demanded, trying to push me aside. “These men attack you like mongrels and it is not worth retaliation?”

“Not by you!” I cried.

He froze. I cupped his face in my hands. “I told you. You have your mother’s hands. Don’t stain them. Not again. Not for me. Please, Alucard.”

He clenched his jaw, quivering all over with barely contained rage. His amber eyes flashed as he glared at the men in the clearing. “Count your lucky stars that my beloved is merciful. At her behest, I would slaughter you all without a single moment’s thought. Come near her again and it will be the last thing you ever do on this Earth, you pathetic wretches.”

Alucard grabbed my hand tightly in his own and led me away. We packed up the wagon and returned home in icy silence.

He guided me to our bedroom with a few medical supplies and a small bowl of water. It was eerily similar to my first night with him. He cleaned off the remains of dried blood and then lightly applied the disinfectant. It didn’t hurt much.

“You are too kind,” he murmured. “They meant to kill you.”

“And I defended myself,” I told him. “It’s only a minor injury.”

He gritted his teeth. “They had no right to treat you in such a way, as if the color of your skin somehow makes you less than human. They are the ones less than human for such ignorance.”

“I know. It’s an ugly thing, but…” I sighed. “Alucard, you mustn’t lose your temper like that. I know you are far more powerful than they are and they would have deserved it, but if it exposed you, I would be devastated. I like it here. It’s quiet and we have everything we need. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you again.”

“I understand that,” he said as he gingerly applied the bandage. “But they hurt you, my darling. Over nothing at all. Over the memory of that vile bastard. The very thought of it makes me want to—”

I kissed him. His words muffled against my lips. He quieted and then slid his arms around me. The tension, the rage, drained from his posture. His enduring gentle nature returned to him by the time I pulled away. “I love that you are so willing to protect me, but you must remember that I want to protect you too. You are so precious to me, Alucard.”

He pressed his forehead to mine. “My gentle Diana. I know there is nothing you would not do for me. You are right. I acted rashly. I apologize—”

“Shh,” I whispered, pressing my fingertips to his lips. “There is no need to apologize. I should have stayed close.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” he said fiercely. “You should be allowed to be who you are to the world.”

“It’s a big world and that is a small town,” I said with a faint smile. “Maybe we just need to expand our horizons a bit.”

He relaxed a bit. “Maybe.”

He kissed me. “I love you.”

“Show me,” I whispered without thinking. I immediately blushed after I realized I’d said it.

“Yes,” Alucard purred as he kissed the corner of my lips. “Yes, I will show you, my love.”

The world inverted itself. Alucard pushed me down to the bed and pinned me beneath him in seconds, allowing his tall, powerful frame to align with me. His tongue licked my lips apart and he crawled inside my mouth, hungry, hurting, impatient. He gripped my wrists and shoved them down to the bed on either side of me, a wordless command for me to be still. He shifted my legs apart with his knees and drew the hem of my dress up past my hips. I whimpered as one of his hands disappeared beneath it, palming my sex in his long fingers. He angled his middle finger inside me, eating the moans out of my mouth one at a time, sliding it all the way in and then withdrawing completely enough to rub my clit with it before slipping in again. The combination of his thrusting finger and then purposeful teasing had me rutting up against him in no time at all, frustrated and elated all the same. I gripped the pillow with both hands to try to steady myself, but it was no use. He added a second finger, spreading me more, losing both digits inside me in a pulsing rhythm. I couldn’t help mewling and widening my legs on either side of him to let him in deeper.

“Yes,” he hummed against my lips. “Spread your legs for me, Diana. Show me what’s mine.”

I blushed harder. “A-Alucard.”

“You are mine,” he whispered huskily, curling his fingers at a precious point inside me enough to make me cry out. “Say it.”

“I-I’m yours, Alucard.”

“Mm, good girl,” he purred. “Good, sweet girl. Won’t you come for me? Come on my fingers, gentle Diana. Come for me, my pet.”

I couldn’t help it. His voice always undid me, unraveled me, sent me spinning off into a blissful state. I writhed on the bed, his hand between my thighs beneath my dress, stroking me into my climax. Colors ran together before my eyes as I triumphed, left in a trembling heap on the bed when I finished. Alucard drew his wet fingers out from under my dress and licked them clean.

“Sweet as honey,” he breathed, his golden eyes glittering with heat. “I must have more.”

“Alucard!” He was far too quick; he flicked my dress up around my hips, yanked off the panties, and darted between my thighs, his tongue swiftly finding me. I was much too sensitive so soon after my climax; I peaked again almost instantly, crying out his name piteously. He exhaled in a hot rush against my inner thighs and licked me in sure, confident laps, stopping every so often to suck over my clit. I released again into his waiting mouth, arching up from the bed in hazy elation. His big hands crawled up my thighs, petting them, bringing me down from the heavens.

“Good girl,” Alucard cooed, his tongue dancing over my right inner thigh, cleaning it free of the nectar that had smeared there. “My girl is always so good to me, isn’t she?”

“You just did that to me with your fingers and mouth and _I’m_ good to _you?”_

Alucard laughed lightly. “Your body is a beautiful canvas on which I paint. I am most pleased that you allow me the opportunity to experience it.”

“So am I.”

That beautiful, springtime laugh left him again. He licked his lips clean and then kissed me, brushing his nose to mine affectionately. He laced our fingers together with one hand, the other sliding between us to unleash his cock. I couldn’t help swinging my legs up and around him, shuddering as the supple material of his trousers brushed my bare skin. Somehow, the thought that he was too impatient to undress me just aroused me further.

“You’re so fucking wet,” he hissed in my ear, rubbing the tip along the length of me. I ground myself up against him desperately, his vulgar words spurring me on.

“Yes,” I mewled. “Yes, Alucard, please, now. Please fuck me. Please fuck your good girl.”

“God!” He jerked his hips and slammed into me then. His fingers squeezed mine as he entered so roughly, but it felt better than anything in the world, his cock twitching once it buried deep into me. I fisted the pillow and just screamed my lungs empty as the pleasure welled up in a tidal wave. “Oh, fuck, Diana, keep going, say it again.”

“Fuck me, Alucard,” I whimpered, too hot and frantic to be ashamed of myself. “Please fuck my little cunt. Fuck it hard. Please. I want to be good for you.”

He pounded me into the bed, hard enough to shake the very frame of it, the sheets tangling underneath us. My cries echoed above us until the sounds of our frantic lovemaking filled the air. He felt beyond good, beyond great, like paradise itself. Heaven would be a step down from Alucard.

“Come,” he ordered, sliding his hot mouth to my ear. “Come for me, Diana.”

I shook my head. “N-No, please, Alucard, please, more, I want more.”

He growled then. “Greedy girl.”

“Yes, mm, please, Alucard, I want more of you. Please give me more.”

“How much more?” he whispered. “How much more shall I give you, my darling?”

“Everything. Give me everything, Alucard.”

“Yes,” he purred as he ran his free hand down my belly and then slipped it under the dress. His thumb found my clit and flattened against it, and somehow, the pleasure sharpened to an impossibly fine point in addition to his deep, rough thrusts. “Take it, my sweet girl. Take every bit of me inside you. I will unmake you if I have to, but you _will_ come for me.”

I tried to resist it, I truly did, but it was too much and I was too sensitive. I spiraled into my climax with a sob of his name, arching into his touch as much as possible. He groaned my name and made no effort to stop, his cock throbbing with need, but he withheld to be sure I was taken care of. He made tight loops around my clit as I floated through my pleasure, slowing his strokes inside me one at a time.

Then, to my surprise, he pulled out and flipped me onto my belly.

“Alucard?” I glanced at him over my shoulder, flustered, but he simply pushed my dress higher and leered at me, his pale skin luminous with sweat, his full lips tugging into a dangerous smirk.

“You said everything, pet,” he teased me, gripping my backside in both hands and squeezing. An alarming bolt of pleasure hit me at the sudden aggression in his gaze. I felt vulnerable and excited at the same time.

Alucard angled himself back inside me. The pleasure hit me in the gut, driving out all my air. I collapsed to the bed with a wail of delight. He fisted my dress in both hands and used it to drag me down against his pelvis, seating his cock so deeply I thought I’d be able to taste him on the back of my tongue. I grabbed handfuls of the sheets as he took me again and again, not hiding his rumbling groans of pleasure. I nearly wept at the sweetness of the bliss blooming through me. Alucard had total and complete control over my every movement and it filled me with such delight knowing that I could please him, knowing how much he desired me. He had me babbling nonsense into the sheets, just broken syllables of praise as he drove me to my climax.

“Mm, you are a picture this way, my lovely Diana,” Alucard said, running his slender fingers up over the plump flesh of my backside. He leaned in and nuzzled the spot behind my right ear. “You look good enough to… _eat.”_

He very gently bit the shell of my ear. I whined in my throat, panting for air. “Alucard, please!”

He ran one hand up my side and cupped my left breast through the dress, his fingers carelessly flicking the nipple. “You’re so close, my love. You need not resist any longer. I am there with you. Come with me, Diana. Let me feel you. Let me know that I have brought you the ultimate pleasure.”

“Oh, yes, _yes,_ Alucard!” I bowed my spine and bit at the sheets to hide one last guttural cry of elation as his cock hit just the right spot. He called out my name roughly and abruptly withdrew from inside me, and then liquid heat splashed against my ass, the small of my back, my thighs, my dress. I shuddered one final time and flopped onto my side, truly drained of all energy as my climax swirled through my exhausted, sweaty body. Alucard followed suit in front of me, gasping for air, flushed pink and ruffled and handsome.

Eventually, he chuckled hoarsely and gave me a sheepish look. “I’ve made quite a mess of you, haven’t I, my darling?”

I smiled as I leaned in to kiss him. “That’s okay. What’s life without a little mess here and there?”

“What indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FUCK WARREN ELLIS.
> 
> THANKS FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Alucard deal with their nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening to everyone except Warren Ellis. Come get y'all smuff (smut + fluff = smuff, by the way)!

_She's all I need_

_She's all I dream_

_She's all I'm always wanting_

_She's all I need_

_She's all I dream_

_She's all I'm always wanting_

_You_

_I'm always wanting you_

_I'm always wanting you_

_I'm always wanting you..._

_-"All of This" by Blink 182_

We learned how to deal with the nightmares together.

_Mine almost always began the same way; running through the woods as fast as my legs would carry me, not caring about branches or prickle bushes or anything but the tiny sliver of a chance that I’d escape to freedom. But it was a false hope. I could hear the dogs tearing through the forest after me, closing in, barking loudly to alert their owner to my trail. I just had to make it to the river. The dogs could swim, but the current was so strong that their bodies would be swept far enough away for me to escape._

_But I wasn’t fast enough._

_The dogs caught up to me in a clearing, one darting in front of me, the other in the rear, cornering me against a tree. I snatched up a branch and attacked them, trying to wound their legs so they couldn’t follow me, but it was too late as Hunter came riding up on his horse a moment later. He climbed down, his face blotched red, uncoiling the whip from his waist._

_“Thought you could slip out at night again, did you?” Hunter spat. “You know what’s coming. Might as well just accept it, you little rat.”_

_“Go to hell!” I shrieked and kept the branch in both hands. I’d rather die than go back._

_He let out an ugly chuckle. “And when I do, my Hell will still be nicer than the one they send your black ass to.”_

_The whip cracked before I could move and splintered the branch in half. I flung the pieces at him as a distraction and lunged for him. I hit him hard with my shoulder, trying to bully past him, but he grabbed my hair and threw me to the ground. It winded me. Before I could draw another breath, the whip flayed open a strip of skin through my dress across my lower back. I howled into the night in agony, screaming loud enough for God to hear._

_But there was no reply._

Something dragged me out of the dream. Something warm and soft.

When I came around, I had curled completely into the fetal position around my pillow. Cold sweat clung to nearly every inch of my brown skin. The camisole I wore to bed stuck to me in patches. Both of my hands had formed claws and I’d dug them into the pillow, gripping hard enough to tear it. I’d been making tiny, hurt noises, the kind a dog made after it had been beaten. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move.

Until Alucard touched me again.

“Shh,” he breathed in my ear as he slid one hand over my hip, gripping it gently. I flinched at first, then the cobwebs slid away from my mind and I remembered where I was. Alucard slid closer to me, until his chest molded against my shoulder blades and his heart beat steadily against my spine. He stroked my hip slowly and never raised his voice above a whisper. “Breathe with me. Feel me here with you, my darling. Come back to me. Let go. Let all that hurt go.”

I choked down a sob and obeyed him, concentrating on his breathing and the warmth of his body. The trembling stopped after a while and I breathed in shallow bursts, my eyes shut, trying to let the silken sheets and the downy pillow soothe me. I licked my dry lips. “It hurts.”

“What hurts?” Alucard murmured.

“The scars,” I mumbled, ashamed. “S-Sometimes they…ache. When I remember.”

“Yes,” he said, brushing his soft lips against cheek. “As does mine. Would you do me a favor, my sweet Diana?”

“Y-Yes?”

“Take off your camisole. I’m going to treat the scars.”

It was difficult, but I managed to unlock my limbs enough to sit up and slide the straps down until it pooled around my hips. I picked up the pillow and hugged it tight before stretching out onto my belly. The cool air of Alucard’s bedroom brushed goosebumps across my naked skin. I shivered, but from more than the cold, and I knew it.

Alucard rummaged around his nightstand and returned with a small glass bottle of healing agent. He pulled the sheets up over my legs to warm me and then settled over me, his knees on either side of my prone form. “Which ones?”

“Lower back,” I whispered, squeezing the pillow for strength.

Again, I flinched as Alucard’s fingertips brushed my scarred flesh. He traced its shape and then I heard him shift. A second later, his warm lips landed on the scar on my midriff, ugly and gnarled like an old tree. His heavy curtain of hair swept across my body as he kissed over its shape, the lightest amount of pressure. He did the same to the other scars near that one and the ache I had felt when I woke slowly dissipated. Alucard straightened up and then carefully treated them one at a time. He replaced the bottle on the nightstand and then ran his hands up and down my back, still as lightly as he could, working in the medicine but also massaging the tension from me.

And for some reason, I couldn’t stop crying.

I hated it. I felt so small and weak, but my tears overflowed and soaked the pillow. Alucard brushed my hair away from my nape and kissed my shoulder, lowering his warm, solid frame on top of me. His weight was somehow my anchor; I’d floated off into the sea of despair without him.

“My brave girl,” he cooed in my ear. “It’s alright to cry. Do not be ashamed to show me your tears.”

“I-I can’t…I can’t make him stop…” I said as I wept. “In the dream. He never stops. Why? He’s been dead for months, but still he haunts me. God, Alucard, I can still feel every blow.”

“I know. What was done to you was monstrous. You endured for years and years. It must have felt like eternity to you.”

He ran his fingers over my shoulder blade. “But look at you now. You are safe. You are loved. You are powerful beyond measure, Diana divine.”

“I’m not!” I cried. “I’m so weak, Alucard. I don’t deserve you. I don’t deserve… _this_.”

“You are not weak. If you were, then you would never have made it here. Expressing your sorrow is not weakness. You must allow yourself to grieve, Diana. He took so much from you. A life. A family. Time. It would be foolish to think those feelings simply vanish.”

“But…you’re so strong and I just—”

“I cried,” he said quietly. “When my friends left me here. When I had to kill my father. When I lost my mother. I feel everything. Make no mistake of that.”

Slowly, he gathered me in his arms and rolled me over, smoothing away my tears. “Do not hide from who you are and what you feel, not from me, but most of all, not from yourself. Cry, but know that when you have finished, I will be here to dry your tears. To talk with you. To grieve with you. Never suppress your humanity, my darling. It is what makes you strong.”

An overwhelming sense of gratitude washed over me. I wished for his eloquence. I wanted to tell him how much his words meant to me, but my stupid throat closed up. I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him to me, only able to squeeze out, “Love you.”

It took time, but Alucard’s troubled past lurked its way into his dreams one night. I woke when I felt the bed stir and a low growl climbing out of his throat. I rolled over to see him clutching his chest, the spot over his scar, his breath shallow and strained.

“Alucard,” I said as I reached for him. “It’s okay. You’re dreaming—”

The second my fingers touched his shoulder, he hissed and lunged.

His left hand clamped around my neck, claws extending on the right as it poised over my chest. Something was wrong with his eyes. He wasn’t seeing me. He was still seeing the dream.

“Alucard! It’s me! It’s Diana!”

He let out another terrible, boiling hiss and his other arm tensed as if he were going to plunge it through my heart.

“Alucard!”

I slapped him.

He froze, blinking rapidly at me until a spark of recognition flew through those amber eyes. Immediately he let go and scooted off of me. “Oh, my poor girl. I…did I…?”

I coughed a few times, rubbing my sore throat. “You were having a nightmare. I tried to wake you.”

His eyes darted to my neck. “I’ve hurt you.”

“You didn’t know it was me,” I told him gently. “You were still dreaming.”

“I…I could have killed you,” he whispered hoarsely, staring at his shaking hands. “If you…if you hadn’t…”

Alucard covered his face with both hands, his head bowed, his breathing erratic. I slid closer and gripped his wrists, my voice still as soothing as I could make it. “No, no, Alucard, just breathe. I’m still here. We’re both still here. He can’t hurt you anymore. Stay with me.”

“I’ve hurt you,” he whispered again. “I am…what if I’m…becoming him somehow?”

I pulled hard on his arms to lower them from his face and then gripped his face tightly so he had to look up at me. “You will never be Dracula. You are kind and selfless and vulnerable and noble. There is more love inside you than in half the world, Alucard. A world that _you_ saved. It all could have ended, but it didn’t because of you. You are incorruptibly good.”

Tears slipped down his cheeks. “What if something happens to you? Same as it did to my mother?”

“You will never be him,” I said slowly. “Never, Alucard. Nothing can change that. Not even my death.”

“How can you be so sure?” he demanded. “How can you look me in the eyes and tell me that everything will be alright when I almost ended your life right here, in this bed, the bed in which we have made love countless times?”

“Faith. I have faith in who you are, Alucard. You are a protector, not a monster.”

“And who will protect you from me?”

“I don’t need protection from you. I am what you are. We’re the same.” I touched his scar with my fingertips. “The same heart, the same soul. I trust you.”

I brought him down to me, kissing him. “And I love you. I love you so much, Alucard.”

I tasted the salt from his tears on his lips and it nearly shattered my heart. He didn’t resist, but he didn’t give in completely either. “But you fear me.”

I smiled at him. “Sailors fear the sea, but they sail on it anyway, and they love it endlessly.”

I could see a bit of the light return to his golden eyes. He needed comfort and reassurance. He needed to feel safe and desired.

He needed me.

Gently, I pushed on his shoulders until he lay on the bed. I straddled him the way he had done to me so many times. He hissed a little as my bottom settled over his lap. He responded to me almost immediately—his pupils dilating, his cock hardening beneath his silk pajama pants, his hands clasping my waist on instinct.

“Diana,” he murmured. “You don’t have to—”

“I want to,” I told him. “I want to be good to you. You’ve been so good to me, Alucard. Will you let me be good to you?”

He brushed the back of his fingers over my cheekbone. “Yes, my sweet.”

I cradled his hand against my face, kissing his palm. “Do you want this, Alucard? Do you want me?”

He brushed his thumb over my lips. “Yes. Always.”

I wrapped my lips around his thumb, licking, sucking, drawing it deeper inside my mouth. Alucard licked his lips as he watched me from under his fair eyelashes, breathing faster. I moved his hand down over my throat and past my collarbone, wrapping around my left breast. My heart hammered wildly as he rubbed his wet thumb over my nipple in a circle until the silk darkened enough to make it transparent. I pushed the straps off and let the thin material slide off to crinkle at my hips, leaving me naked from the waist up. Alucard exhaled and cupped both of my breasts in his hands, running his thumbs softly across my areolas until I sighed his name.

I shifted forward and kissed his lips, then his cheek, then the spot under his ear, as he had done to me in the past. His breathing hitched, but I could tell in pleasure, not pain or apprehension. His marble skin felt so warm, his scent so enticing, the silk of his golden tresses sliding across my cheek as I kissed along his bared throat. He groaned in want, nudging his cock up against me, his hands pulling me flush to him as he started grinding against my pelvis to alleviate the ache he felt. I kissed his chest—each pectoral—lightly touching each nipple, and then made my way over his sculpted abdomen, past his navel.

My cheeks burned as I drew his pants away from the obvious bulge and off his legs. I hadn’t ever been this close to Alucard’s cock before and it was quite intimidating. Yet I felt almost hyperactive at the prospect of being able to please him. I’d been comfortable enough to use my hand to pleasure him, but I thought I could try something bolder this time.

I moved between his open legs and surrounded his cock with my breasts. Alucard hissed and his head fell back on the pillow, panting in shallow breaths. “D-Diana.”

I bit my lower lip and remembered my manners. “Does this feel nice?”

“God, yes,” he whispered.

“Good.” I carefully lifted them up near his tip, using the soft flesh to caress the length of him. He was burning hot against my sternum, twitching every so often, the tip glistening. Alucard moaned my name as I brought them down to the root of his cock and then up again. I kept going, captivated by his expressions of elation, the way he couldn’t help but thrust with his hips. I thought of how Alucard would treat me when he teased me, gradually escalating with every moment to grant me more pleasure.

So I took a deep breath and drew his cock inside my mouth.

Alucard arched off the bed. _“Diana.”_

I shuddered as his cock slid past the base of my tongue, on its way to my throat, and yet I still had more to go. The sensation was strange and made my eyes tear, but I relaxed as much as possible before sucking gently. It made an obscene slurping noise that made Alucard groan uncontrollably. He grabbed my shoulder and squeezed. I relented. “Is this okay?”

“D-Diana,” he whispered in a strained tone, sliding his hand up to my neck. “Darling, I can’t last if you…do that.”

I gave him a look as if he were being silly. “I want you to feel this way. You’re allowed to feel this way just as much as I am.”

He raked his flaxen hair away from his face, seeming caught between guilt and lust. “It’s a lot. I…haven’t enjoyed such delights in quite some time.”

“I’ll go slow. I promise.” I enveloped his cock with my lips and tongue again, this time moving more slowly, taking him in about halfway and stopping where my breasts cushioned the rest of him. Alucard’s low, rumbling moans made me dripping wet and frustrated, but I stayed the course. It became easier with time to take him deeper. He tasted a little sweet, a little salty, so hot everywhere I touched. It was a little uncomfortable to bend in this position for long, so I crawled up higher and instead of using my chest, allowed him to glide completely into my mouth and throat.

Alucard let out a joyous shout.

I nearly died and went to heaven.

Who could have known it would be this exciting to pleasure my beloved?

I balanced myself over his thighs and sucked and licked, eager to draw more from him. He slid his hand into my thick, curling locks and angled my head to the way that he wanted it, his hips thrusting upward unconsciously. “Diana! Diana, God, _please.”_

He fisted my hair suddenly and I knew he didn’t have much longer. I encircled my first finger and thumb around the base of his cock and stroked it as I took him deep inside my mouth, sucking hard enough to hollow out my cheeks. Alucard let out a single sob and erupted down my throat. I kept still as the searing liquid poured into me, swallowing occasionally. Curiously, he didn’t soften at all. I waited until his hand relaxed in my hair and then lifted his cock free. I wiped my mouth, blushing at the mess I’d made with my naughty actions, but proud as I beheld my lover, splayed out in total bliss before me.

Alucard tossed one arm across his eyes. Then he quietly started laughing. “And so the pupil becomes the master.”

I blinked up at him. “Mm?”

Alucard caught my arms and dragged me up the length of his body, kissing me. “That was magnificent, my darling. I have never felt such euphoria in all my years.”

I smiled bashfully. “You mean that?”

“Absolutely. You were a tigress. You had me completely under your spell.”

I buried my face in his neck, embarrassed by the compliments. “Alucard!”

He laughed again, a joyful, unburdened sound that I treasured. “It’s the truth. My blushing maiden is secretly a sexual deviant. I must beware her seductive powers.”

His fingers tickled my sides and I giggled, wriggling up to hover over him again. “I had no idea what I was doing the whole time!”

“That is what makes it so impressive; that you were able to use your instincts so effectively.” He brushed my hair behind my ear. “And I think perhaps it’s time for your reward.”

Alucard flipped me over and pulled the camisole off my hips. He pushed my arms above my head and held them to the pillow with one hand, the other settling between my thighs. Lightly, he traced my outer walls with two fingers, pausing once to taste them before slipping them into me. I mewled and squirmed underneath him as the pleasure flickered to life inside me, but he wouldn’t let go of my hands.

“Alucard,” I whined.

“All in good time, my pet,” he assured me. “This time, you’re going to watch me.”

“W-Watch you?”

“Yes,” he purred. “You will watch what I do to your beautiful body. Do not avert your eyes, Diana. Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes.”

He smirked. “Good girl.”

Alucard arranged my legs to allow him closer and held my gaze as his fingers quickened their pace. I fought the urge to scream as the pleasure wound its way up my spine and engulfed my senses. He lowered his lips to my breasts, sucking and circling my nipples with his tongue. He angled his hand slightly, but it allowed those long, slender digits to hit my spot. I cried out, my eyes slamming shut, and Alucard growled. He bit my nipple hard in warning. “Eyes open.”

I struggled to open them again. My legs twisted in place, so open to him. I blushed harder as I watched him plunge his fingers inside my melting heat, so messy, so intentional. “B-But I’m going to…if you…make me watch.”

“Yes, you are going to come,” he drawled. “You are going to come because of what I am doing to you. Tell me, Diana. Tell me what I am doing to you.”

My face felt as if it were on fire. “T-Touching me.”

His amber eyes gleamed mischievously. “Where am I touching you?”

“Inside.”

“Do you like it when I touch you there?”

“I love it. Mm, I love it, Alucard, please.”

He kissed above my heart and then trailed his way down my trembling body until he reached my pelvis. He licked the seam of each of my thighs and then softly kissed my clit. I arched up from the bed in search of more and he provided it, swiping over it with the flat of his tongue. His thick, curling hair slid forward to frame his face, but I could still see those eyes burning with lust as he licked me in rhythm with his thrusting fingers. The ravenous hunger in his features made me so unbearably hot that I thought the bed would catch fire. He inserted a third finger and I cried out for mercy.

“Alucard, please!”

My essence soaked his fingers. My inner walls clutched at them. Alucard’s mouth drifted down enough to taste my nectar and he exhaled hotly, licking his full lips. “A feast fit for a king.”

“Please, Alucard, I can’t take it anymore.”

“Then take no more, my sweet Diana. Come.” His mouth surrounded my clit again and sucked hard, until it hollowed his cheeks. He watched me as I climaxed around him, pride shining in his eyes as I obeyed him by not looking away. I writhed and thrashed on the bed, so frustrated but so overwhelmed with pleasure. My nerves drowned in ecstasy, my skin drenched in it, my muscles twitching from the sheer power of its effect. Through it all, Alucard never broke my gaze, staring straight down into my soul as he unraveled me.

He drew away at long last and licked his lips clean, smiling wickedly at my quivering, vulnerable body. “Good girl.”

He sucked his fingers clean one at a time, but still didn’t release my arms. Instead, he lifted my legs onto his shoulders and leaned so far forward that my backside rose from the bed.

“W-What are you doing?”

Alucard licked and nibbled the inside of my right knee, drawing a gasp out of me. “I’m going to fuck you, darling, until you come apart for me completely.”

Before I could say anything, he delved inside me and my world dissolved into nirvana.

Somehow, the angle drove him so much deeper than before. My inner walls all but sealed around him and locked him in tight. I dug my fingernails into my palms, crying out sharply. He wrapped his free hand around my hip and pulled me down to meet his strong, swift thrusts. His cock burrowed into my sopping cunt again and again, sending bolts of pleasure up my spine and sparking out of my veins. I wanted to touch him so badly, to run my fingers through his hair, to sink my nails into his skin, but I couldn’t. And yet it made me so wet knowing he had complete control over me, giving me everything I wanted and more, happy to do it. I couldn’t comprehend him. How he could be so sweet and so devious at the same time.

He slid his hand down and cupped my backside, squeezing enough to elicit a gasp from me. “My sweet Diana. How lovely you look with these pretty legs up on my shoulders.”

I shook my head frantically, my voice hoarse from moaning. “Oh, Alucard, no, please, don’t say anything, I’ll come!”

“Don’t say anything?” he teased. “Like what? How your little moans drive me wild? How I can’t take my eyes off of this beautiful body writhing with pleasure underneath me?”

“Don’t,” I begged, biting my lip as I tried to stay in one piece. “Please, Alucard.”

“My poor darling,” he purred as he slid closer, until my knees were parallel to my chest. “I shouldn’t enjoy bullying you like this, but I can’t help it. I want to see your walls come down. I want to see that bright spark in your eyes when you succumb to me. When you give in to me and let me have you.”

He squeezed my wrists. “Will you let me have you, Diana? All of you?”

His hips rotated with every thrust, hitting my spot so fast, so hard, that I couldn’t help babbling as it seized every inch of me with such pleasure it was nearly pain. “Yes, yes, oh, God, yes, Alucard, I’m yours!”

Alucard shuddered. “And I am yours, Diana. Now come for me, my sweet girl.”

I surrendered. The world shook apart at the seams. I fell to pieces along with it, along with my Alucard, my love, my constant, my anchor, my everything.

We floated off into our dreams, knowing that we were both strong enough to conquer any nightmare that tried to rear its ugly head.

Together.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana learns a little bit more about Alucard's vampiric side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter's a little on the short side. Hopefully it's juicy enough to entertain you. 
> 
> Keep in mind this is my headcanon about Alucard and blood drinking. It hasn't been addressed in-canon yet, I don't think.

_It's just desire_

_You cannot waste it_

_But if you want it_

_Then won't you taste it?_

_She wants to give it_

_Oh, she wants to give it_

_She wants to give it_

_Oh, she wants to give it_

_She's gonna get it!_

_-"In the Closet" by Michael Jackson_

One thing about living with a vampire was that there was never a dull moment. Literally, in some cases.

I’d been in the kitchen, slicing apples to go with our lunch, when Alucard did one of his favorite things, which was sneaking up behind me and wrapping his arms around me. I’d gotten used to it by now, but he always got a little yelp out of me when he did it that amused him to no end.

“You are so mischievous sometimes,” I fussed lightly as he kissed my cheek. “It’s completely unfair that you can be that quiet when you want to be.”

“I can teach you if you like,” Alucard teased.

I rolled my eyes, which made him chuckle. Then I offered him an apple slice. He ate it off my fingers, carefully as he always did, but unfortunately, I wasn’t paying close attention as I drew my hand away. The edge of one of his incisors nicked the back of my first finger on its way out of his mouth.

I hissed as I pulled away, noting the droplet of blood welling on my skin. It didn’t actually hurt all that much; I’d just been surprised. It was just a pinprick anyway, but it took a second to remember that I was living with a vampire and I’d just cut myself.

“Oh,” I said, flustered as I hunted down the nearest cloth to staunch the wound. “S-Sorry, I’ll just—I don’t mean to—are you okay?”

Alucard arched an eyebrow. “Darling, you hurt yourself and you’re asking if I’m alright?”

I pressed the drying cloth to my finger and held my arm behind my back, blushing. “W-Well, I didn’t know if it would…agitate you. We haven’t really discussed that part of you yet.”

He gave me a soft, reassuring smile. “No, I suppose we haven’t. It’s alright, my love. A spot of blood isn’t enough to rile me up and I promise that you are in no danger.”

“I didn’t mean it that way—” I blurted out, distraught. “Sorry. I know you’d never hurt me. I just didn’t know if that sort of thing is something you’ve been holding back.”

He studied me. “I suppose you’re right. I have held that part of myself back. It is…a difficult instinct to dismiss, for I’ve been so used to people fearing me and my father’s line for so long.”

I nibbled my lower lip. “So you…do feel some urges?”

“On occasion, yes,” he said honestly, leaning back against the counter, his eyes on the floor. “My mother’s side rescues me from needing it for sustenance. I can eat, same as you, and be satisfied. Drinking blood for me would be more of a…”

He frowned, trying to figure out how to say it. “…luxury, perhaps. Not something I need to survive. An instinct that sometimes rears its ugly head.”

“And…have you wanted to drink my blood?”

Alucard winced. I spoke up as gently as I could. “It’s okay. I want to know.”

“Yes,” he whispered. “Not often, just…sometimes when you are vulnerable, it calls to me.”

“Vulnerable?”

“When you sleep. When we make love. Even now, when I had my arms around you, I thought about it for just a second.” He bowed his head, his hair shielding his expression. “For that, I am sorry.”

I set the cloth aside and walked over to him, resting my hands on his shoulders. He didn’t move. I cupped his face in my hands and lifted his chin so he’d look at me. “I don’t get to pick which parts of you to love, Alucard. It’s everything or nothing at all. And I love you. All of you. You’ve told me not to hide parts of myself from you, so it’s only fair that I ask the same of you.”

He sighed. “I don’t want you anymore afraid of me than you already are.”

“I’m not afraid of you, Alucard. Do I fear what you are capable of? Certainly. But I know you would never hurt me, so I don’t fear you. I love all your dark corners and ragged edges.”

I ran my thumb along the corner of his lips. “So tell me…is this something that you want?”

Those golden eyes widened. “Diana, you…you don’t have to offer yourself to me.”

“It’s okay,” I told him again. “I mean it. Even if it’s just every once in a while, if it eases your pain, I’m willing to try.”

Alucard shook his head. “I…that is…it would mean doing you harm, whether you agreed to it or not.”

“I’m stronger than I look.”

He gripped my waist in his hands rather tightly. “I know how strong you are. I am not sure it is a place that you wish to see me go.”

“It’ll hurt that much?” I asked.

Alucard smiled weakly. “Quite the contrary. I am the son of Dracula. I have magics that many creatures do not. One such ability is the manipulation of physical pleasure. It wouldn’t hurt if I drank from you. In fact, it would feel so pleasurable that there is a chance you became addicted to it.”

I stared at him, speechless for a few seconds. “…oh.”

I glanced at my finger. There was just a faint mark now, no more blood. “Even just this amount?”

“No, it would be more than that. It’s one of the preferred methods of collecting blood for those vampires who do not consider human beings to be merely livestock. An evolutionary development, as it were. You make love to them and take the blood during an orgasm, as that is when the magic is at its most potent and the blood is at its most savory.”

He scowled. “The more reckless vampires could drain a partner during this time, killing them out of sheer gluttony.”

I swallowed. “I see.”

“Or, even worse, their partner gets addicted to the euphoric feeling of being fed upon and they return time after time, until they are too sickly from blood loss and succumb to illness.” He kissed my palm. “I have no wish to inflict such things on you.”

“I understand, but is it wise to deny that part of yourself?”

He searched my gaze. His eyes wandered to my throat, near my pulse. “I am afraid I would not know the answer to that question.”

“If you’re happy with things the way they are now, I won’t press it. Just know that it’s not out of the question, okay?”

Alucard bumped my forehead with his own. “I understand.”

The next night, I found myself tangled in the sheets wrapped around my Alucard, clinging to him for dear life. He was ravenous tonight. He’d brought me three times already, twice on his tongue, once on his fingers, and now he sought to make me melt underneath him. I loved him this way, impatient and fiery and lustful. It made me shy to know he desired me so much, and I him, but I still loved it anyway. My nails dug into his shoulder blades as he rutted into me quickly, his cock striking my spot on every odd thrust, driving whimpers and moans from me in a symphony.

“Diana,” he breathed in my ear, his tone strained as if he were asking something he couldn’t quite get out. I squeezed my thighs around his pounding hips and tried my best to stay cognizant, though all I wanted to do was give in to him. I drew in my focus enough to realize something was slightly different in his posture and in his movements. He ran his hot mouth along the side of my neck, his tongue following the faint imprint of my pulse.

Oh.

I steeled myself and searched for his arm on the bed, finding his hand and linking our fingers. I slid my other hand into his thick, curling locks resting over his nape and pulled his face towards my throat, tilting my head back. Alucard moaned indulgently, murmuring my name again as he kissed the delicate skin, asking without asking.

“It’s okay,” I whispered, closing my eyes. “I trust you.”

“My sweet Diana. I am unworthy of you.” He slid his other arm beneath my head to cradle it, his fingers gripping the midnight strands of my hair, as if they would ground him. He licked my throat until it was slick to the touch and then closed his lips on one spot. I expected him to bite down, but he didn’t; instead, he drew his fangs across in two very precise slices. I winced as the sharp pain bit through the pleasure of his sex for a moment, but then his tongue began to lap up my blood and…

Oh my.

Sweet heat ate at my naked skin all over, starting at the aching point where Alucard’s cock plunged into my sopping cunt and billowing outward in an exhilarating rush. It overpowered me instantly. My entire body bowed up from the bed, pressing hard into Alucard, who somehow managed to keep the rhythm of his strokes even as he fed from me. His fingers tightened around mine and I could hear his gratified groans as he lapped up my blood, sucking every so often to free more of it onto his tongue.

“God, Alucard, you feel so—ah!” I trembled as the racing pleasure centralized around my clit. I bucked on the bed, restless as a tidal wave of utter bliss hit me all at once, stealing my breath. Alucard growled when he felt me come and slid closer still, until we were perfectly aligned, basking in the fluttering flex of my inner walls over his cock.

He ripped his lips from my neck and pressed our foreheads together, fucking into me harder, riding my climax until he reached his own. He spilled hot slick onto my belly and then nearly collapsed, swaying slightly as if he’d gotten dizzy. He balanced on his elbows and kissed the wounds on my neck. A second later, they tingled and I felt the small cuts closing with whatever magic he’d just used.

We both lay there, dazed, drunk on pleasure for quite some time, before I couldn’t help myself.

“So that’s what it’s like to be eaten by a vampire.”

Alucard laughed. “Well, sort of.”

He licked his lips until they were as clean as he could get them and then kissed me. “Thank you, my sweet girl. That was a magnificent gift.”

I smiled bashfully. “Anything for my Alucard.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana makes a very interesting discovery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently, I am just very thirsty today idk.

_Strange love_

_Cutest thing I've ever seen_

_Strange love_

_Cutest thing I've ever seen_

_You remind me of something that I have seen in a dream_

_-"Strange Love" by Slim Harpo_

It perhaps should have been apparent to me, but I was unaware that it was possible to enjoy carnal delights with Alucard outside of our bed.

I had ridden into a different town for supplies on horseback recently and visited the market for food. I had a little leftover, so I decided to see if there were any garments in my size at a nearby clothing shop. There were some, but I found myself intrigued by these pretty little things called—

“—garters?” I echoed the shop keeper. “What is it that they do?”

“Do you like to wear sheer stockings, dear?” she had asked.

“No, but I am trying to expand my wardrobe. I am willing to try them.”

“Oh, delightful!” She brought a pair out for me. They were soft and light in my hands. “You wear these sometimes for extra warmth during the cool months, but it’s also very fashionable. The garter belt connects to your underwear, you see, and keeps them from slipping down.”

“That’s clever,” I said. “Yes, please, I will take this pair.”

When I returned to the castle after storing the other items, I headed into the bedroom to try them on. They slid on very easily and I didn’t much feel them against my skin. The belt was lightweight as well and everything fit neatly. The black material flattered the shape of my legs, at least I thought so, even though they would be underneath my dress the whole time.

I had just turned to face the bed and get dressed when I heard Alucard approach. I didn’t think much of it, greeting him without turning around. “Hello, dear. They had everything at the market this time, so we should be safely supplied through—”

I jumped as Alucard suddenly appeared behind me, a slight draft ruffling my hair to indicate he’d used his vampire speed to reach me. His hands landed on my hips and his lips brushed my ear as he whispered, “Are those garters, my pet?”

The hushed arousal in his tone made me shiver immediately from head to toe. “Um, y-yes.”

Alucard inhaled sharply as he slowly trailed his fingers down the outside of my thighs under they brushed the sheer fabric. I bit back a moan as he ground his pelvis into my backside, letting me feel that he’d gotten hard already. “Oh, my. These are…quite fetching.”

I blushed. “Are they?”

“Yes,” he whispered, sliding his hand between my thighs. I moaned as he placed his fingertips at my sex, rubbing lightly until I became wet, his thumb stroking over the spot where my clit was underneath the cloth. “You have such beautiful legs, Diana. They look even more appetizing in stockings.”

He pushed his other hand beneath my camisole, squeezing my breast, his lips pressing wet kisses to my throat. I whimpered with need, and it was what he had been waiting for.

Alucard spun me around and picked me up entirely, wrapping my legs around his narrow hips. “Oh! Alucard?”

“It’s alright,” he breathed against my throat, licking it as he pushed my panties to one side. “You are not heavy, my love. Hold onto me.”

I clutched his shoulders and crossed my ankles around his back, my stockinged thighs enveloping his waist. Alucard undid his trousers and slipped his hand around my backside to hold me aloft. A second later, he pushed me down onto his cock and the world caught fire.

“Ah!” I cried out. The pleasure was just so… _different._ The gravity and weight of my body pulled me all the way onto his cock. With my legs around him, it felt like he’d burrowed deeper than ever, losing every single inch of himself inside me. I trembled in his grasp, sensitive and aching from this new position, so aware of my vulnerability.

Alucard purred against the hollow of my throat and stroked my thighs over the stockings. “Yes, my darling, that’s it. Don’t hold back.”

He hesitated no longer; he bounced me onto his cock, fast, hard, deep, so deep I wanted to weep from how good it felt to take him this way. I clutched his shoulders for strength, helpless in ecstasy as he swiftly took me, growling and moaning as he sucked love bites into my neck.

“Please, oh, please, Alucard,” I begged, twisting my fingers into his golden hair. I had no idea what I wanted—what I was asking him to do—but somehow he understood anyway.

“Yes,” he hissed, licking the spot above my breasts as he sped up his thrusts. “Yes, my darling. Good girl. Take my cock.”

“A-Alucard, please, I’m going to come!”

“Come for me,” he whispered as he circled his hips. “Come for me like a good girl.”

I threw my head back and screamed his name as I reached my climax. Alucard growled fiercely as he felt my cunt so slick and tight over his cock, pumping furiously into it, extending the pleasure even further. I was dripping wet by the time I finished, soaking through the panties completely, my inner thighs a complete and utter mess of arousal.

And despite it all, Alucard was not done.

I whined in my throat as he shifted inside me and then took quick, deliberate steps across our bedroom. It made my cunt flex and squeeze over him as he strode over to the nearest wall and pressed me into it. I opened my eyes to see him flushed and excited as he pinned me against the wall beside one of the windows. “Mm, Alucard, what are you d-doing?”

He licked my lower lip and then kissed me, his voice ragged. “I can fuck you deeper this way. Isn’t that where you want me, my sweet girl? Deep inside you, driving you to the brink of madness?”

“Yes,” I said as I pulled impatiently at his shirt until he took it off. “Yes, Alucard, please, fuck me deeper. Make me yours. I want it. I want you. I want you everywhere inside me.”

“I’ll fuck you so deep, my pet,” he rasped in my ear as he adjusted his stance up against the wall. “So deep you will feel me inside you always.”

He flattened his hands on either side of my head and then fucked me into oblivion itself.

I couldn’t help but let out broken sobs of ecstasy as his weight held me flush to the wall and his cock pummeled my silken inner walls with powerful thrust after thrust. I lost any semblance of control. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered but the way he made me feel. I felt so beautiful, so wanted, so wanton with Alucard. I felt like I could have something for myself, something he wanted to give me. I had felt nothing but pain for so long that his lust and his desire for me was exactly what I never knew I needed to feel like an actual person. Someone who could be loved. Someone capable of giving love as well.

“A-Alucard,” I whimpered breathlessly. “I’m going to come.”

“Yes,” he gasped around my lips. “Yes, sweet Diana, come for me again.”

“I…I want you to come…inside me.”

Alucard’s beautiful amber eyes opened then. “Darling?”

I couldn’t help my shyness, blushing under his curious gaze. “I…I went to a woman in town today. She gave me something that…well, I-I won’t be with child if you…want to…come inside me this time.”

He licked his lips. “Are you certain, pet?”

I nodded shakily. “I…I want to feel it. When I please you. I’ve always wanted to feel it, but I was too shy to say anything because how it must sound—”

He kissed me, moaning in his throat as he did so. “I’ve wanted to come inside you from the first moment I took you to bed with me. Feel no shame for it, my darling.”

Alucard lowered one hand and gripped one half of my backside, helping me along, guiding me harder onto his cock, hitting just the right spot inside me. “I want you to come, Diana. I want you to let go for me. Let me have you. Let me please you as you have pleased me so deeply. You are so wild and beautiful and powerful. You have no idea what you do to me.”

I trembled against him. “A-Alucard, _please.”_

“Yes, my love. I want you. I want to come for you, just for you, deep inside.”

My spine arched. I flew into my climax abruptly, clinging to him with all my might. Alucard bowed his head as he felt me come, his forehead pressed to my sternum, no longer restraining himself as he had in the past. His cock butted up into me again and again, twitching, until finally, he reached his limit.

_“Diana!”_

It happened all at once. His cock erupted into me, so hot it nearly scorched me, spilling out until it filled me completely. I mewled, my toes curling, too elated by the notion that I’d felt Alucard’s ultimate pleasure, and I came a second time as he emptied everything into me. I knew in that moment that I belonged to him and only him, body and soul and heart and mind.

We stayed there, pressed to the wall, for a long while, slowly recovering from the rigorous lovemaking. Alucard wrapped his arms around my legs to keep me steady in his grasp. He sighed wistfully and then opened his eyes. Shock went through his features. “Darling, are you alright?”

“Hmm?”

He brushed the back of his fingers over my cheek and I realized both were wet. I blinked at him in alarm and wiped the tears away. “Oh! I’m fine, I promise, sorry, I must have gotten a little emotional and—”

“Don’t apologize for how you feel, my sweet,” he chided gently. “I am relieved you are unhurt. They are happy tears, are they not?”

“Yes,” I said, laughing a bit. “It’s very silly of me.”

He bent, kissing one cheek. “You are not silly.”

He kissed the other. “You are divine, Diana. Own it.”

“And you are perfect, my Alucard.” I then giggled and wiggled my legs a bit. “And I guess I should buy a few more pairs of these, shouldn’t I?”

Alucard’s eyes gleamed with mischief. “Indeed.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana's world is about to become just a little bit bigger after discovering that Alucard can dance and he wants her to attend a special gala event with him.

_Don't let me hear you say life's taking you nowhere, angel_

_Run for the shadows_

_Run for the shadows_

_Run for the shadows in these golden years_

_I'll stick with ya, baby, for a thousand years_

_Nothing's gonna touch you in these golden years_

_Golden years_

_-"Golden Years" by David Bowie_

Alucard had a lovely voice in general, but more than that, he had a lovely singing voice. He didn’t often sing aloud, but sometimes I heard him when he was bathing alone. Most often, I heard him humming to himself and I enjoyed it if he would do so while we were in bed reading or about to sleep. The melodies were always something pleasant and classic, not the bawdy ballads or tasteless sea shanties I heard in my old town, and it brought about another point of curiosity.

He stood in front of the stove making eggs for breakfast, humming away. I walked up behind him and hugged him around the middle. “Bonjour, mademoiselle.”

“Bonjour, mon amour.” I sighed contently and rested the side of my cheek between his shoulder blades, feeling his warmth and strength. “Do you know how to dance, Alucard?”

“Yes, actually,” he said, sounding pleased that I’d asked. “When I was little, my mother would waltz with me, standing on her toes. As I grew up, she taught me most of the social graces I would need to know as a gentleman and the waltz was one of them.”

“Is it fun?”

“A bit, yes.”

I contemplated that. “Is it difficult?”

“At first, but it simply takes practice. Would you like me to teach you, darling?”

I nibbled my lower lip. “You don’t think it’s silly, do you?”

Alucard chuckled. “Of course not, my sweet Diana. What would be silly about it?”

“It’s not as if we’ll be invited to some kind of gala. It is a little useless to know how to dance for someone in my social class.”

He finished cooking and placed the cooked eggs on our plates. I let go as he turned and brought me close, linking his fingers over the small of my back. “Knowledge is always useful. Even in the smallest of ways. And I think you will like it, so of course it is not useless.”

Alucard paused in thought. “And in my travels, I have seen that women of color are not always treated so poorly by their peers. There may be a chance for you to display this knowledge someday, if you are willing.”

I fidgeted, flustered by the very idea of being on Alucard’s arm at some grand social event. “I-I couldn’t possibly—”

He touched our foreheads together. “You can do anything that you put your mind to. I would be honored to show you off to the rest of the world.”

My heart soared at that. “Truly?”

“Truly. In fact, I know that there is such a celebration in a few months’ time. We could scandalize everyone by making an appearance.”

I blinked at him in surprise. “But…you’re a vampire. You’re the son of Dracula. Won’t they chase you out with pitchforks and torches?”

He laughed lightly. “No, my dear. Fortunately, not everyone is hostile towards my kind. In fact, it’s a celebration of the peace between humans and vampires or magic users.”

I thought of the grand parties that some of the younger, more beautiful women in the village had seen in some of their travels. The prettiest ones were quickly married off to noblemen as soon as possible, as it provided their parents with wealth from the families that took them in. I tried to picture myself in a fancy gown with elegant hair and makeup, gliding through the crowd with Alucard. It made me bashful to think of such things. It was one thing that I belonged to him here, in our sanctuary, and another to let the world know that I was with him.

I shook my head, trying to laugh. “They would probably think I was your pet.”

“You don’t have to self-deprecate like that,” Alucard said quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. “The way that you have been treated in the past is reprehensible. It is not the only way that you will be treated by others. This celebration brings people from all over the country, many of them people of color, same as you. Social class is not important there. You will not be looked down upon. You will be treated with the proper respect that you deserve, if that is something that you want. I think it might be a good experience for you to understand that you do have a place where you belong, both with me and with the world itself.”

I studied him. “You’ve been thinking about this, haven’t you?”

He nodded. “But I did not want to bring it up until the right time. I wouldn’t want you to feel pressured. Social gatherings are not for everyone. I am a prime example of that, in fact.”

That made me smile. Alucard was certainly a solitary creature, me and his friends Trevor and Sypha being the exceptions. I fiddled with his collar. “If you think that you can teach me to dance in time for the celebration, I’m…willing to go. To try to fit in, if I can. I wouldn’t mind.”

Alucard smiled beautifully. “I would be delighted if you would join me.”

I lifted onto my toes and kissed him. “Then it is settled. Teach me to dance, Alucard.”

“I shall, my lady, promptly after breakfast.” He dipped his head towards mine and kissed me again. Only this time there was tongue. He slid a hand up into my hair, his thumb grazing my cheek. His other arm tightened around me and brought me closer into the shelter of his embrace. I felt myself breathing harder into his mouth and my skin flared with heat.

“A-Alucard,” I mumbled, a questioning lilt in my tone. “The…breakfast…”

“Mm?” he hummed as he dragged his soft lips down one side of my neck. He licked the spot where my throat met my collarbone and sucked a kiss mark into it. Wetness started to pool between my legs. I couldn’t stifle a moan in time. It set him off the second he heard it.

Alucard carried me a couple of steps and sat me on the dining table, busying himself by gripping handfuls of my skirt and pulling it up towards my thighs. “A-Alucard! The breakfast will get cold.”

“Then I shall make you some more,” he breathed as he freed my legs from the skirt of my burgundy dress and slid his fingers down my bare thighs. I bit my lower lip to trap another moan from escaping as he kissed the exposed skin over my chest, nipping lightly in spots. He palmed my sex and I whimpered before I could help it, gripping his shirt in an attempt to ground myself.

“You’re insatiable,” I mewled as his fingers pushed my underwear aside and journeyed inside me, settling into slow, sensual strokes that had me seeing stars in mere seconds.

“Yes,” Alucard purred, licking his way up the other side of my neck until he reached the weak spot underneath my ear. “Always. I want you always, my sweet girl.”

“Ah!” I couldn’t help widening my legs to allow him deeper, moaning as he curled his fingers in search of my spot. He pulled the dress and camisole down underneath my chest and spread hot, messy kisses across my breasts. I pushed my hips down against his hand, seeking friction, and he growled, obliging me. His thumb joined in, stroking my clit, up and down, over and over until my cries echoed through the kitchen. “Alucard! Oh, Alucard, please!”

Just as I reached my peak, he tugged his fingers completely free of me.

I cried out in desperate dismay. I was so frantic that I thought I’d die if he didn’t release me.

Fortunately, he hadn’t simply abandoned me.

Alucard only stopped to push the bunched cloth higher over my hips. He buried his face between my legs and shoved his tongue as deep as it would go, pushing my thighs wider to let him in. It unleashed my climax immediately; a flood of heat escaping me as I achieved my release on his tongue. My nails scraped over the table as I soared through the heavenly sensations, dizzy and drunk on my pleasure.

He straightened and licked his fingers and lips clean, giving me a little wicked smirk. “Besides, you are far more satisfying than anything I could ever cook.”

One of a thousand invisible blushes flooded over my cheeks. I covered my face with both hands anyway, too embarrassed to withstand that smirk. “Alucard! What a thing to say.”

He chuckled softly as he pulled me forward on the table until my bottom was near the edge and wrapped my legs around his waist. “I have only told the truth, my lady. It should not make you so bashful.”

“No, but what does make me bashful is you are so voracious that you cannot bring me to our bed,” I told him, peeking up at him from between my fingers. “If you have me here, I will think of it every single time we eat breakfast!”

Alucard’s nefarious smirk widened. “That is precisely my intentions, madam.”

“You are such a brute, Alucard.”

He gripped my left wrist and brought my hand up towards him. “Yes.”

He slipped my first finger inside his mouth. I shuddered all over with want as the hot wetness enveloped the digit, following suit with my others, careful so that his fangs never nicked them. I didn’t quite understand it myself, but for some reason, it aroused me to no end when he did that. Maybe it was the strength and the control he had over his bloodlust, that his love for me and need to please me was far more important to him.

He flexed his hips into mine as he did it and the hard, blunt edge of his cock ground into me. I pushed down against the outline of his cock and freed my captive hand from his grip. I boldly reached down enough to free him from his trousers and stroked him the moment he settled against my palm. Alucard exhaled in a hiss, his handsome face turning rosy with arousal, watching through half-lidded eyes as I pleasured him in return.

“Such a feisty thing,” he murmured, stroking my thighs where they rested on either side of him. “You shouldn’t rile me up this way, pet.”

I wasn’t quite thinking straight in my state of arousal. He was right, but I didn’t care. I lined his cock up with my slick sex and circled my hips over the tip, almost allowing him to breach me but not quite. “I want you, Alucard. I want you now. Here. Inside me.”

He licked his lips and caught my wrists, holding them down against the table. His golden hair reflected light off of the windows as he lowered himself over me. “Then you shall have me, Diana divine.”

His hips snapped upward in a quick, flawless movement. His cock slipped into me and he caught my scream between his lips. The angle, the motion, the way he’d pinned me underneath him against the sturdy table, the aggressive kiss, all of it felt so good that I arched up from the table in a shivering bow, my body alight with such intense pleasure that I didn’t realize what was happening until it simply happened.

I climaxed that very second.

Above me, Alucard groaned lowly against my lips as he felt my inner walls flickering around his cock over and over. “Mm, there’s a good girl. Giving me what I want so soon, are we?”

“A-Alucard,” I whined, deeply embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I-I didn’t mean to—”

“Shh,” he hushed me, kissing my jaw. “I like that you are so sensitive to me, darling. You haven’t done anything wrong, relax. Let me take care of my girl.”

“B-But I’ve already come.”

“Yes, and you will come again soon enough.”

“Ah!” I gasped as he withdrew and surged upward again, the thrust hitting so deeply that my toes curled inside my shoes. I was achingly sensitive from my release, wetter than I’d ever been, burning from within wherever his cock split me. He fucked me on the table with such careful precision, so conscious of me, guiding me again towards my ultimate pleasure. He lavished my throat, my breasts, with sloppy, hungry kisses, not restraining himself even slightly as he took me again and again. I couldn’t move much, but I managed to find some leverage with my lower body, forcing my hips down against his pelvis so that every thrust hit even deeper.

Alucard sucked teasingly at my ear lobe. “I adore how you move your body for me, Diana. Do you want me to come? Is that it? Do you want me to come inside this sweet, sweet little cunt?”

“Oh, God, yes, Alucard, yes, please!” I begged hoarsely, shaking with need as we both climbed towards the pinnacle together. I must have looked so shameless, so wanton, thrusting down against my lover on top of the kitchen table, moaning on every breath I could draw. Yet it filled me with so much excitement to know I could do something so taboo, only with him, my Alucard.

“I will come for you, inside you, right where you want me to,” Alucard whispered in my ear. “But only if you come for me again. Will you come for me again, Diana? It feels so good to me when you come.”

I tightened my legs around him, hopelessly lost to him. “Yes, Alucard, yes, please, I’ll come, I’ll come for you, I’m—mm—I’m gonna come!”

The dam inside me broke. Pure ecstasy wound its way up my spine and filtered out into my nerves, setting my body ablaze from within. Alucard didn’t stop, riding me through my release until he reached his own. He dropped his sweaty forehead to mine, his chest firm and smooth as it rested atop my breasts, his hands still firmly pinning my arms to the table. We breathed each other in for a while as the pleasure eventually tapered off.

I sighed as I opened my eyes enough to look up at him. “Such a naughty vampire.”

Alucard chuckled. “I am, aren’t I?”

I kissed him. “Now make me breakfast properly this time, you shameful thing.”

“As my lady wishes.”

He fed me and then we bathed and found a nice spot out on the balcony overlooking the garden and the rest of the estate. Then he began to instruct me on how to waltz. It was strangely both simple and too complicated at the same time for my tastes. It made sense why Alucard could dance; he was graceful, elegant, impossibly light on his feet. I was nervous, stiff, and uncoordinated. Naturally, it was not Alucard who made me nervous, but the thought of being seen with him in public and needing to be the kind of woman who deserved to be on his arm. I felt so…presumptuous. What if they all laughed at me? What if they’d drag me away the way that Hunter would have for thinking I deserved a man like Alucard?

Had I been living a fantasy that I had not earned?

Bless him, Alucard remained patient and steadfast as we continued practicing weekly until the date arrived. I had asked him what sort of preparation would be expected of me and he mysteriously told me he would take care of that and that he wanted it to be a surprise.

That afternoon, an older woman named Doris arrived at the mansion and collected me in the guest room. She was polite and smelled like oranges. Her hands were steady as she styled and pinned up my hair and then applied makeup and real perfume. Once she had finished, she then presented me with the dress that Alucard had purchased from her, unveiling it from inside a dark, cool sack.

It was violet and made of the softest velvet I had ever touched. It had long sleeves and a curved neckline, clearly fitted to my proportions and size. It had a train, but it wasn’t too long, perhaps just under a foot, and came with supple leather boots with low heels. I simply stared at it for a while, speechless that he had chosen it for me. It was stunning.

“I’m too afraid to even put it on,” I told her, tears in my eyes, and she laughed.

“Oh, you silly thing, go on, I’ll help you button it.” I changed into a slip and then pulled the gown on as gingerly as possible. It fit perfectly.

“Now why don’t you take a peek at the finished product?” Doris asked as she brushed off the last bit of lint. She guided me towards the full-length mirror. I took a deep breath and opened my eyes to the reflection.

I didn’t recognize myself.

I looked…older, for one thing. Distinguished. She’d also trimmed and polished my nails and sculpted my eyebrows a bit more than usual. The gown also made me look much taller and curvier than I had considered myself to be, the silhouette flattering without being vulgar. The makeup enhanced the shape of my eyes and the fullness of my lips and even the curve of my cheekbones. I could have passed for one of the maidens they’d shipped off to meet noblemen and marry them, actually. How strange.

“Well?” Doris asked, preening slightly.

“You are a miracle worker,” I told her sincerely. “I look like a lady.”

She scoffed. “You _are_ a lady, silly girl. Through and through. It’s not about pedigree. It’s about presence.”

With that, Doris shuffled to the door and opened it, calling, “Come along now, young man!”

My heart tried to crack my rib cage, it pounded so hard. I listened to his footsteps and tried not to fidget too much as he approached.

Alucard stepped through the door in a traditional suit: all black with tails except for the matching violet tie at his throat. His golden hair was pulled back with a violet bow as well. The contrast of his pale skin and flaxen hair against the black and the violet was nothing short of phenomenal. He looked so handsome it nearly blinded me.

He stopped mid-stride into the room when he spotted me.

His jaw went slack. I blushed so hard I was certain it was visible even with my dark brown skin.

“Diana,” he murmured, his eyes roving over me from head to toe. “You…you are…a vision.”

“T-Thank you,” I stammered out. “You look amazing.”

He strode over to me and kissed my cheek. “I am nothing compared to you, my darling.”

I ducked my head on reflex. “Alucard…”

He tipped my chin up. “No, you will not be bashful this night. You are entrancing. I will have a hard time keeping my eyes off of you for certain.”

Alucard paused enough to wink. “And my hands as well.”

I slapped his chest lightly. “Stop that, we have company, Alucard.”

“I consider it a compliment of my work,” Doris said with a chuckle.

Alucard reached into his pocket. “And I have one last thing to finish the masterpiece.”

He turned me around towards the mirror. Then he withdrew a small velvet bag. “Hold out your hands.”

I cupped them in front of me. He upended the bag.

And an enormous diamond necklace landed on my palms.

“Oh, Alucard,” I whispered reverently, watching how the candlelight danced around and bounced brilliant colors all over me and the room. “It’s incredible.”

He picked up the thin chain and unsnapped the clasp, delicately draping it around my neck. It rested comfortably in the dip of my throat, glittering brightly. “Thank you. I can’t believe you would trust me with something so precious.”

Alucard shook his head. “You are the sweetest creature alive, you know.”

I blinked at him in the reflection. “Huh?”

He turned me around and wrapped me in his arms. “The real treasure is you. Diamonds are nothing. I have all that I need right here. I love you, my gentle Diana.”

I smiled. “And I you, Alucard.”

He kissed me and then turned to the bed. He wrapped a large, black fur stole around my shoulders and looped my arm through his. “Ready?”

“Ready.”

And off we went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry; I wouldn't dream of cheating you out of seeing her at the ball. See you next chapter.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Alucard attend the gala.

_Never thought that you would be_

_Standing here so close to me_

_There's so much I feel that I should say_

_But words can wait until some other day_

_Kiss me once_

_Then kiss me twice_

_Then kiss me once again_

_It's been a long, long time_

_Haven't felt like this, my dear_

_Since can't remember when_

_It's been a long, long time_

_\- "It's Been a Long, Long Time" by Kitty Kallen_

_“The art of defending yourself lies in understanding your opponent,” Alucard told me, his arms folded behind his back, his posture still as a statue. “It is impossible to know every fighting style and skillset, but it is vital that you analyze the available information that you have about whom you face if you have the opportunity. It will vastly affect the outcome of the conflict.”_

_I nodded and lightly rubbed my palms against my thighs, trying to contain my anxiety. The pants had been a little hard to find in my size, but I greatly appreciated Alucard finding them for me so that I would be unhindered during our practice. We stood out in a clearing in the forest, the sun high in the sky, birds chirping, squirrels chittering as they watched us curiously._

_“For instance, if you were to be attacked, it would likely be by some mongrel in one of the towns,” Alucard continued, narrowing his eyes. “Men like that are often bullies and abusers who are used to getting their way. Often, they are unskilled, relying only on brute force and power in a fight. You will use this against them. Your goal is not to beat them; your goal is to end the conflict as quickly and effectively as possible.”_

_He stepped towards me on the plush grass and grasped my left wrist, pulling it between our bodies. “Typically, they will go for this sort of action, grabbing you to drag you or to trap you to strike the first blow. They will attempt control first, and you must not allow them the upper hand. The control points on a body are the wrists and upper arm, sometimes the neck or the hair. They will try to grab anything and then bring you in close until they have complete control.”_

_Alucard gave me a sharp smile then. “But you, my dear, are not prey. You are smaller, true, but you are also much more agile than men such as these. It will be your best weapon. I will teach you to move to avoid these grabs or teach you how to break them. Then I will teach you the best places to strike.”_

_I bit my lip. “You…are certain that I won’t hurt you by practicing these techniques against you.”_

_His smile softened and my heart raced at seeing the fondness in it. “No, you will not hurt me. I want you to attack with your full strength so that you know how it feels to execute these moves correctly. I can take it. I don’t want you to hesitate or feel any guilt. Do you understand, Diana?”_

_“Yes, Alucard.”_

_His fingers tightened on my wrist and then his other hand slid around my throat as he tugged me nearly into him. “Here is the most common attack you may see: a wrist grab and then a throat grab. This is to allow the attacker to strangle their prey. He may also shove you to the ground once he has both control points in his grasp.”_

_Alucard relocated one hand to my hip. “Here is another spot that he may use. You must break the wrist grab first, as it will allow you to escape if possible.”_

_He let go of me and then took my hand, wrapping it around his wrist instead. “You will use a twisting motion to force the hand either up towards your fingers or down towards the thicker part of the arm so that he loses his grip. Ball your hand into a fist, like so, and then exert as much force as quickly as possible while also shoving yourself away from your opponent. Even the strongest man will have trouble keeping you within his possession if you do so correctly.”_

_Alucard demonstrated the motion. “Do you have it, my dear?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“Good. Let’s try.” He reached for me, but then paused, his voice once against becoming soft. “And if I should…trigger any unpleasant memories, please say so. If you wish to stop at any moment, I will respect your wishes.”_

_Warmth flowed over me. I had never met someone so considerate of my feelings. I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I will, thank you.”_

_He caught my wrist firmly and I balled my hand into a fist and twisted away from him, jerking upward hard. It caused his fingers to slide towards my forearm and I turned completely, which slipped me free. “Excellent. Once more, this time pulling downward.”_

_We did it again and I twisted and pulled down instead. “Very good, my dear.”_

_His slender fingers encircled my throat again. My pulse raced along the curve of his thumb, but it had nothing to do with fighting, to my great embarrassment. I only hoped he couldn’t tell. “The throat grab can be terrifying, but you must remember not to panic, only to focus. It takes the average person a few minutes to be choked into unconsciousness, so you do have time to break the hold.”_

_He touched the inside of his arm. “The inside of the arm is susceptible to attack. Force the arm to bend in either direction, and they will release you. You can also attack their windpipe if it is exposed to you as well as other soft targets like the eyes, ears, nose, or groin. Another quick attack is to grip the thumb and break it.”_

_My eyes widened. “You’re going to make me—”_

_Alucard chuckled. “No, it’s alright. I will show you the motion. Grip my thumb.”_

_I wrapped my fingers around it. “You will pull straight back towards the direction of the inside of the arm. It must be a hard, quick movement or it will just hurt or bruise them. You should hear a pop indicating it has been dislocated and then you can escape.”_

_He took my hand and faced it towards him, my palm level with his neck. “If you hit the throat, hold your arm and hand like this and strike hard at the Adam’s apple. Do the same at the nose as well if you wish, bending the fingers inward to protect them from being broken.”_

_“What about the groin?”_

_Alucard’s eyes sparkled. “I am relatively certain you have seen how easy it is to fell a man with a knee to the groin.”_

_I blushed. “Y-Yes.”_

_“A knee or foot will do the trick. It does not take as much force as the other blows, so I understand if you use it first.”_

_He stepped in closer and moved his hand to my hip. His golden hair brushed my shoulders as he moved and his handsome face drifted so near that I fought the urge to flee, for he was so beautiful that I worried I would do something foolish. I hadn’t been able to speak up about my feelings just yet, so every little touch gave me heart palpitations. “Should he grab your waist, it will be harder to attack the soft targets with enough force to get him away from you. In this case, you will jab your elbow directly at the Adam’s apple.”_

_He lifted my arm and then cupped my hand over my fist. “Use your other hand to apply extra force. It should be a hard, swift movement and then you will spin away from him to be sure he cannot trap you.”_

_“What about if he were to tackle me off my feet or get me on the ground?”_

_He took my hand and nodded towards the grass. “Lie down for me.”_

_My ears burned along with my cheeks. The phrasing was entirely without innuendo and yet that is not how my mind took it. Alucard helped ease me down and then knelt above me, his long legs on either side of mine, basically straddling me. I shouldn’t have opened my silly mouth. I lay there trying desperately not to fidget at seeing him above me._

_“This is perhaps the most dangerous place of all,” he said seriously. “If you can, avoid it at all costs. However, if you find yourself in this position, you still have options to get away. Most opponents will go for your neck for strangulation. It is much harder to leverage them off of you on the ground since they can use their weight and gravity against you.”_

_I licked my lips. “So then what do I do?”_

_“The eyes are good to aim for. Using your thumbs, you will grip the sides of the skull and push inward as hard as you can. It is both painful and disorienting, which should give you the time to escape. When I teach you self-defense, you will also see points of the body you can strike to get them off of you as well.”_

_“What if my arms are pinned?” I blurted out. Then I just blushed harder. I was so foolish today._

_“Ah, yes,” Alucard said. “Very good point, dear Diana.”_

_He caught my wrists underneath his palms and pressed them into the grass on either side of my head. “Is this alright?”_

_“Y-Yes,” I all but squeaked, happy for my dark skin, as it hid my blush from him completely._

_“Good. This is the most common pin, but the placement of the legs can present a challenge. Most men are unthinking, so they will be above you on their knees. However, unfortunately, if the intent is sexual, it can vary.”_

_He gave me a briefly apologetic look. “Forgive me.”_

_Alucard shifted his legs between my knees and pushed them apart, which placed our hips in alignment. “It presents a shot to the groin if his legs are this way, but if he puts down weight, it can get tricky.”_

_His lean frame leaned into me then, from the bottom of his sternum to his pelvis, flattening me into the grass underneath us. A soft sound escaped my throat before I could stop it. Alucard blinked curiously at me. “Are you alright?”_

_“I’m fine,” I croaked, the blush creeping down my neck. “How do I escape?”_

_“There is an old saying that no one wins in a headbutt,” he said with a wry smile. “But in this case, it is your best option. Do not knock foreheads; instead, aim with the top part of the skull against the person’s nose. It will hurt a great deal, but it will hurt him enough that you should be able to escape.”_

_“Please do not tell me you wish a demonstration.”_

_Alucard chuckled. His deep voice vibrated up through his chest and tickled over my body. I ached with longing from within as I felt it. “No, it will not be necessary.”_

_He pushed up onto his knees and then helped me to my feet. “Now I shall teach you hand to hand and then we will review what you’ve learned.”_

_He regarded me seriously. “I sincerely hope you may never need to use these techniques.”_

_“So do I,” I admitted._

_“If it is any consolation, so long as you are with me, I will protect you with my life. I will not allow harm to come to you. I swear it.”_

_I felt tears forming and had to blink them away. “Thank you, Alucard.”_

_He nodded to me respectfully. “Always, my lady.”_

Soft lips brushed my temple. I opened my eyes to find Alucard kissing me awake from a distant memory, his smile gentle. “We are arriving, my pet.”

“Wonderful.” I sat up in the comfortable, worn cushion of the carriage and looked out of the window to behold a new town. Lanterns dotted the streets as we approached a long path leading up to a massive, magnificent castle. The night air had cooled considerably, meaning we’d gone to a higher altitude. I could see mountainous terrain on either side of us, covered in thick trees.

The carriage stopped at the entrance to the castle and then the driver opened the door for us. I took a deep breath and stepped out first, careful to hold Alucard’s hand. I could see couples filtering inside in front of us after checking with a gentleman in a formal suit. Two guards stood to either side of the castle’s entrance, dressed in some kind of silver armor decorated with a black insignia in a foreign language.

Alucard tucked my hand into the crook of his arm and gently led me towards the line as he withdrew a formal invitation from his coat pocket. We waited patiently until it was our turn and he handed it to the gentleman, whose eyes went wide.

“Dear Lord Tepes,” the little fellow said, clearly excited. “It is quite a surprise to see you, but we are delighted to receive you.”

He then paused and added. “Our utmost condolences.”

Alucard tipped his head slightly. “I appreciate your sympathies.”

“Please have a marvelous time, my lord and lady.”

We strolled up the long carpet and up the stairs into the castle. Inside, we found a massive ballroom teeming with people. There were two enormous tables on either far wall heavily laden with exotic food and wine. The center of the room had been set aside for dancing. A full orchestra sat in chairs at the head of the room near the table of the host: a man named Ortega.

And, just as Alucard has promised, I was not the only woman of color attending the gala.

As we strode in to greet the host, I saw at least a dozen brown-skinned women in beautiful gowns conversing with guests or twirling on the dance floor. Each woman seemed confident and secure, even unafraid. I had never known it could be this way with anyone but Alucard. How splendid for them to be able to be themselves and be safe from harm.

Ortega was a tall, olive-skinned man with a beard and mustache. His eyes glowed as yellow as a wolf’s as Alucard and I approached, his wide grin revealing fangs as he stood from his chair.

“Lord Alucard,” he said warmly, offering his hand. “It is a pleasant surprise to receive you.”

Alucard shook it. “It is my pleasure to attend, Lord Ortega.”

He gestured to me. “This is Lady Diana.”

“Thank you very much for inviting us,” I said with a curtsey.

Ortega beamed and took my hand, kissing the back of it. “It is my honor to meet you, Lady Diana.”

He waved to the voluptuous raven-haired woman in red to his left. “This is my wife, Maria.”

We bowed to her. Then he waved to the younger female vampire in black to his right. “This is my daughter, Bella.”

We bowed to her next. However, I noticed that while Maria had smiled warmly, Bella’s blue eyes remained fixed on Alucard, and there was a strange quality to her face that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

“We are all heartbroken to hear what befell your father and mother,” Ortega said seriously. “If there is anything we can do to ease your pain, please let us know.”

Alucard nodded. “I appreciate it.”

“In the meantime, please eat, drink, and make merry. It is a beautiful night for a little dancing, I hear.”

Alucard chuckled. “We intend to, my friend.”

We bowed to the family again and then headed towards the food and wine. There were so many items I had never seen before that I hardly knew where to start, but Alucard was kind enough to guide me.

“This is called pineapple,” he said as he picked up a wedge of a heavy yellow fruit. “It is a tropical fruit. Very tart but very sweet. It is quite juicy as well. This is a mango. It is also a tropical fruit. It is often used in desserts or eaten with breakfast.”

We continued down the table sampling everything and I was utterly delighted to try so many wonderful new dishes from other continents. I especially liked the African, Haitian, and Japanese cuisines the most. Alucard had introduced me to wine some time ago, both red and white, but there were new kinds to taste like those made from strawberries, blueberries, and even blackberries. We ate and drank our fill as we listened to the soothing music.

“Would you like to meet some of my acquaintances, darling?” Alucard asked.

“Yes, but what shall I say?”

He cocked his head slightly. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t have an educated background or anything,” I said, blushing a little. “I have not led an extravagant life. Won’t they find me common?”

“I think some of them may surprise you,” he said. “Yes, there are some who care about status and pedigree, but those are not the kinds of people with whom I have relationships. These people are well traveled and are not as small-minded as some of the people you have unfortunately met before. I think they will be very interested to meet you, my darling.”

“Are you certain?”

He kissed my temple. “Of course.”

Alucard led me to meet a duke and duchess mixed couple from France: the woman a vampire, the man a human, and they were as welcoming as he had promised. We spoke of literature and art for a great deal of time before Alucard decided to put my dancing lessons to the test.

“You won’t let me fall, will you?” I asked shyly as he pulled me into him, raising my arms into position.

“You are incapable of falling,” Alucard assured me. “You are grace. You are beauty. You are art, my lovely Diana.”

Then we waltzed.

And to my surprise, the experience was magical.

Alucard led as he had for so many days alone in the castle, his amber eyes steadily on mine, as if nothing else existed. My shy nature melted away in his arms. It was easy to find my place with him after a while. I had been afraid that I would hear rude whispers in our wake, but the other patrons did not seem to mind at all that there was a commoner in their midst. I hadn’t ever felt this kind of acceptance outside of Alucard’s company. It was lovely.

Just as the orchestra’s waltz came to its end, we bumped into a familiar face. Ortega’s daughter, Bella, approached with a smile and a curtsey. “Excuse me, Lady Diana, but may I have the honor of stealing him away for a dance?”

“Oh,” I said, surprised by the request. Alucard had told me sometimes people liked to vary with their dance partners at these events. “I don’t mind.”

Alucard bowed to her. “It is my honor.”

I navigated away from the dance floor and decided to explore a bit as I waited for them to finish. The castle had a gallery of paintings and artifacts open to the guests in a nearby hallway, so I went inside. It had gotten later into the evening, so there were not as many people as there had been when we arrived. I enjoyed the quiet, broken up only by my footsteps on the stone. The collection was nothing short of breathtaking, each portrait painstakingly detailed.

“Beautiful, aren’t they?”

I whirled to see Bella behind me, still as a headstone. I swallowed a yip of shock and cleared my throat. “Yes, quite.”

She walked up beside and brandished a hand at the portrait. It was an older woman with her hair bound up. Diamonds glittered on nearly every one of Bella’s fingers. “This is my great grandmother, Estoria. She served as a royal advisor in India.”

Bella glanced around the large, empty room, her blue eyes settling over the paintings. “Actually, nearly every one of my ancestors held some position of power. Our family is very prestigious and influential.”

She patted her dress absently, brushing a bit of lint away with her long, sharp nails. “Not unlike Alucard’s, actually.”

Her red lips stretched, revealing a hint of fangs. “Well, half of it, anyway.”

I bristled at that. I hadn’t liked the implication. “True, but it is a person’s actions that leave a legacy, not simply where they came from.”

“And they are the exceptions. Greatness is not made. One is born into it.”

She let out a small chuckle. “As is plainness, I suppose.”

I took a slow breath. Ah. So she had finally revealed her hand. “With all due respect, I disagree. You are who you choose to be. You can choose to be great or plain. You can choose to rise above…”

I matched her smile. “…or sit in the mud and pout.”

Coldness filled her features. “I’m afraid you are mistaken, poppet. Not everyone can rise. Will power is not enough. Few are born capable of greatness. Plainness, however, can stain everyone it touches.”

Her empty eyes flashed. “Stain them _black_ as night.”

Rage exploded out of me. I held perfectly still, hands at my sides, but everything in me wanted to tear out her throat and feed it to the hounds outside.

But I didn’t.

Because that was what the frigid little bitch wanted.

“So can hatred and bigotry,” I murmured back to her. “It is very fortunate, then, that it will never be Alucard’s problem, isn’t it?”

She bared her fangs at me then. “You are a lowly beast unworthy of even licking his boots. You ought to know your place. Crawl back into whatever hole you belong in before I put you there myself.”

I smiled at her. “I am afraid I will be unable to acquiesce your request. You see, I have a warm place waiting for me in Alucard’s castle…”

I leaned forward until my mouth lined up with her ear. “…and his bed. That’s my place. Maybe you ought to know yours instead, bitch.”

With that, I straightened and headed for the door.

I only got a couple of steps before Bella snarled and grabbed my wrist.

Instinct kicked in. Before I knew it, I’d twisted my way out of her cold clutches and slammed the heel of my palm into her nose. She cried out as her head snapped back from the impact and stumbled to the ground, her skirt askew. She stared up at me in total shock. Humiliation welled up in those hateful eyes and I knew what she would do seconds before she did it.

She grabbed a ceremonial dagger from the display case to her right and plunged it into her side.

“Help!” Bella cried, tears instantly springing into her lifeless eyes. “Someone help! I’ve been attacked!”

I could only stand there as guests and guards hurried into the room, gasping as they spotted Bella with blood leaking out of the wound, weeping pathetically that I’d stabbed her. Lord Ortega shoved his way to the front and gasped at the scene before him, Alucard on his heels.

“She tried to kill me for dancing with Alucard!” Bella wailed.

“I never touched her,” I said coldly. “Look at my hands. Look at my dress. No blood.”

“She jumped on me!” Bella sobbed. “It hurts so much!”

I could hardly believe my eyes. She hated me that much, someone she knew nothing about, just because she wanted Alucard. Just because of my skin color. It made me wish I had been the one to plunge that dagger into her chest.

“What is the meaning of this, Alucard?” Ortega demanded as Alucard came to my side. “I welcome you into my home and this is how you repay my hospitality?”

“Lord Ortega,” Alucard said in an unnaturally calm voice. “If you would allow me to explain.”

“Explain what?” he spat.

Alucard stepped forward and gripped Bella’s arm, hauling her to her feet. She made a pathetic whimpering noise, clutching her bleeding wound. Fresh tears fell. “Your daughter is five foot four, is she not?”

“Yes. So what?”

Alucard brandished a hand at me. “Diana is five foot eight. Look at the angle of the stab wound.”

“What?” Bella demanded, trying to squirm free, but Alucard didn’t budge. He grabbed the tear in the dress and pulled to expose the already rapidly healing wound, but there was enough of it still visible for him to continue.

“It is a thrust from below, much too low an angle to have been inflicted by Diana. That and the fact that the blood splatter is uninterrupted—” He pointed to the splattered blood on the stone in front of her. “Means that Diana was nowhere near her when Bella stabbed herself to incriminate her.”

He let go of the trembling vampire. “I give her full marks for the attempt, but she is an amateur at best. If you wish to make an issue of this, feel free to do so. Diana is my beloved. Any disrespect to her is disrespect to me. Attempt to retaliate and I will consider it an act of war.”

Alucard’s golden eyes glinted dangerously. “And you saw how I ended the last one.”

Ortega glanced between his daughter, Alucard, me, and the blood on the stone. Anger filled his features. “Bella, get off of that floor and return to your quarters. You have disgraced me, your mother, and your entire family with this petty act of yours.”

“What?!” she shrieked. “No, it’s true, she stabbed me!”

Ortega snapped his fingers. The guards scooped her up and hauled her out of the room. He took a long breath and knelt in front of me. “Lady Diana, forgive me for the accusation. I am in your debt from this moment on. I have no excuse for my daughter’s hateful actions. Please accept my deepest apologies.”

Maria stepped in beside him and bowed her head. “I, too, extend a heartfelt apology for my daughter’s actions. We are most sorry that she has ruined your evening and besmirched your name.”

I nodded. “I accept your apologies. Thank you for understanding.”

Ortega rose to his feet. “You have the right to demand any punishment from us that you wish, Lady Diana. Name it and it will be done.”

I shook my head. “I have no wish for retaliation. My only wish is that you explain to her that the color of one’s skin does not dictate their worth.”

He took my hand between his and squeezed it, his eyes earnest. “I swear it on my soul that it will be done, my lady.”

Ortega and Maria bowed once more, then left the great hall. The spectators dissipated thereafter, leaving me and Alucard standing there beside the pool of blood.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, hugging my arms. “I…I guess I don’t belong here after all.”

Alucard stepped close to me. “Do you know where you belong, my Diana?”

I shook my head as tears dripped down my cheeks, my throat too tight to let me speak. Alucard wrapped his arms around me and whispered, “Here. This is where you belong, beloved. The actions of one do not speak for all. It does not matter what they think. Only what you do. Do you think that you belong in my arms, my darling?”

“I do.”

“Then that is enough.” He kissed me softly. “I am sorry for putting you through this.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” I gave him a wobbly smile. “And everything was nice up until the stabbing.”

“Yes, I suppose it was,” he said sadly. “Come. Let me take you home.”

We returned to the carriage and rode home. The trip was silent, but Alucard held my hand the whole time. It was late when we returned to the castle. I needed a hot bath and lots of sleep after the ordeal.

The driver opened the door. I stepped out, and noticed that Alucard let go of my hand this time. I waited for him to follow me inside, but he didn’t. I didn’t hear his footsteps. Confused, I turned around.

And there he was, down on one knee, smiling at me, holding out an exquisite diamond ring.

“Diana,” Alucard said. “Will you marry me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!
> 
> *cackles maniacally*


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Diana accept Alucard's proposal?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, but hopefully the content inside makes up for it.

_There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back_

_Well, tell her that I miss our little talks_

_Soon, it will be over and buried with our past_

_We used to play outside when we were young, and full of life and full of love_

_Some days, I don't know if I am wrong or right_

_Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear_

_-"Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men_

I had no idea how proposals were supposed to go, but I had a feeling that dead silence was not the desired response.

I stared at Alucard—my Alucard—kneeling on the stone path leading up to his fortress, once a place of solitude, desolation, and death, now a home filled with love, laughter, and the scent of flowers. I stared at Alucard—my Alucard—those golden eyes with their long lashes aimed right at me, the stray he had taken in and cared for and saw fit to adore. I stared at Alucard—my Alucard—his smile shy and yet more sure than anything that I had learned about in a book.

How could he want me to marry him?

I couldn’t move an inch. My body froze itself to the walkway. I couldn’t tear my gaze away from him, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak. I had to be dreaming. Maybe I’d fallen asleep in the carriage on the ride home.

I thought of all that I had been through, the constant abuse and the beatings and periods of starvation and the many times I’d tried to escape. I thought of the murderous sun above me as I worked Hunter’s farm or shoed his horses, how it had made my hands so rough and my pain tolerance so high. I thought of the vast contrast to being with Alucard, who treasured me, who spoiled me, who always asked and never demanded. He had accepted every part of me, scars and all, choosing to be by my side. I loved him more than anything. I would die for him. I would kill for him. I would suffer for him.

Yet I’d never expected him to ask me to be his wife.

Wife. Marriage. Soulmates.

My dry lips parted. My body still wouldn’t move, but I’d started trembling from head to toe. The moonlight around us quivered and I realized it was because I’d started to cry.

“B-But Alucard,” I said hoarsely. “I’m just…I’m only a servant girl. How could you want me to be your wife?”

“Oh, my sweet,” Alucard breathed, rising from the ground. He touched my cheek, his amber eyes fathomless. “You are nothing of the sort. It does not matter where you came from. It matters who you are now. You are the woman that I love. You are the woman I wish to spend the rest of my life with. You have made me see that life is worth living, if it is by your side. You have enriched my very soul, Diana. I did not think it possible, yet you have shown me such happiness and peace.”

Tears did not just drip down my cheeks; they poured. I shook my head, half-hysterical. “I can’t—I don’t deserve—oh, Alucard, what if I—”

I choked on a sob and covered my foolish mouth with one hand, not able to even articulate my racing thoughts. Alucard gently took my hand from my face and lay it over the left side of his chest. He tilted my chin up so my gaze met his. “My heart did not beat until the moment that I met you, Diana. Make no mistake. It will be difficult. We both may fall short, but together, we can be happy. I know it. I know you have suffered greatly, but my darling Diana, you are deserving of peace. Do not let your fear consume you. You are so strong. I have seen it with my own eyes. Trust yourself. Trust what you feel. I will not pressure you into becoming my wife. It is only an offer if you wish to accept it. Tell me, my beloved. Tell me the truth.”

I gazed up at him and tried my best to calm down, letting his words reverberate throughout my mind. He held the exquisite ring in his palm now, between the two of us, an offering of his heart and everything he held dear to me. I pushed through the panic and the fear, listening to the quiet words of my soul.

“I…” I took a deep breath. “Alucard, I adore you. I want to devote every second of my life to making you happy, for you are gentle and kind and altruistic. You were right. I’m so afraid. I fear that someone will take me from you, as the villagers did to your mother, and you will hurt again. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if I made you suffer in such a way.”

Alucard nodded, his voice hushed. “I understand.”

“And so,” I continued, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin. “You will teach me to become stronger so that it can never happen. I will never abandon you, Alucard. Not even in death. I promise to stand with you, come what may. As your wife.”

Alucard smiled beautifully. “So be it.”

He took my hand and slipped the ring onto my finger. I lifted onto my toes and kissed him. He held me tightly and kissed me back. It lasted a glorious eternity. When it ended, he took my hand and led me inside our home.

By now, I knew my Alucard, so I was not surprised when he pulled me close after we were safely shut inside our bedroom.

“Beloved Diana,” he sighed into my neck, kissing over my pulse. “How attached are you to this gown?”

“Quite,” I said, trying to keep the eagerness out of my voice. “It is lovely, after all.”

“Yes,” Alucard whispered. “Which is why I wish to fuck you in it.”

I shuddered. “But it might ruin the dress.”

“What if I promise to have the seamstress mend it to its original glory?”

I giggled. “You could also promise to be gentle.”

“Mm, I am about to bed the woman I am going to marry,” Alucard said, a soft growl in his tone. “I can make no such promise, beloved.”

“But Alucard,” I said innocently as I pushed the suit jacket from his broad shoulders and began to unbutton his shirt. “Don’t you want to make sweet, gentle love to your future wife?”

“Oh, indeed, I shall,” he purred as he let his hands rove up and down my spine and brought his mouth up to my ear. “After I thoroughly fuck her in this beautiful dress, until she cries for more.”

He lightly nipped the shell of my ear. “Until she is delirious with ecstasy, completely undone at the seams, mad from the pleasure.”

I ran my palms up over his abdomen, lightly stroking his pale skin, already flushed with heat from his words. “How scandalous that you would say such things to an unwed maiden.”

“How foolish of her to allow herself to fall into the clutches of a vampire.” He drew the skirt of my violet dress up until the soft material lifted enough to expose my other surprise. Alucard cocked his head slightly, lowering his gaze, and then purred again. “Garters and stockings. My favorite. You spoil me.”

He angled his hand between my thighs and rubbed me through the fine lace. I pressed into him with a needy sound, kissing him as I plucked the violet ribbon holding back his beautiful golden hair. His silken locks fluttered down around his face and framed my own as he leaned in to kiss me back. He guided me to sit on the edge of the bed and then knelt before me. Carefully, he slipped off my boots and spread my knees. The dress gathered around my upper thighs as I sat back on my hands, trembling in anticipation as Alucard kissed his way up the inside of my knee, his lips warm and plush through the thin material of my stockings.

“Sweet Diana,” he hummed against my skin once he reached my inner thighs. “How beautiful you are. I am powerless to resist your charms.”

“As am I, my Alucard,” I sighed as he slipped my panties off and then draped my legs over his shoulders. “You possess me so completely.”

“Fitting, seeing as you belong to me and I belong to you. To think that you will be all mine in the eyes of all who might see us. Might I confess something to you, darling?”

I fought a shiver as his fingers lightly stroked along the outside of my thighs. “Always.”

He kissed the crease between my thigh and pelvis, his honeyed voice darkening. “At the gala, there were many men who stole glances at you as we danced. They wanted you on their arm. In their beds. They wanted to taste and touch you as they saw fit.”

I bit my lip as he placed a kiss on my other thigh. “Yet here you are, in my arms, in my bed. They all wanted you and they cannot have you. The very thought of it, of taking you again and again, knowing how many others covet you, is nearly more than I can bear. I am overwhelmed with the selfish need to claim you for my own. How shameful.”

His admission only increased the heat and wetness gathering between my legs. “It is no more shameful than the pride I feel of having you all to myself when that little bitch was so jealous that you were mine that she tried to frame me for an attack. She wanted you so badly. But you’re _mine._ ”

Alucard groaned and lunged for me then, his mouth searing hot as it encompassed me. I cried out sharply and collapsed onto my elbows as a rush of pure adrenaline and pure pleasure shot up through my nerves. His tongue made quick work, tasting me, tracing the outer edges of me, his breath hurried with excitement. I twisted the sheets around my fingers and held on tight as he slid his tongue inside me, his hands anchoring at my waist. He pulled me towards him and his tongue sunk deeper still.

“Alucard!”

“Mm, yes, my sweet,” he panted out as he licked his lips. “Moan for me. Louder.”

He dove in again, those soft, soft lips brushing against me, his tongue relentless in its pursuit of my pleasure. He rocked my lower body down against him until I was bucking on the mattress and gasping for air, my senses doused in heavenly bliss. “A-Alucard, oh, please, Alucard!”

Alucard gripped my ass and pulled me into him, sucking hard. A wild streak of pleasure hit just the right spot and I cried out again, releasing into his mouth. He let out a low groan of satisfaction and then angled his hand between us. Two fingers slipped inside me and he covered my clit with his mouth, pumping the slender digits in and out in a frenzied rhythm. It hardly took a minute before I sailed off into oblivion a second time, quivering from head to toe as the ecstasy rode me hard.

He kissed my clit gently before pulling away and withdrawing his fingers. “Good girl. You always come so sweetly for me, my dear.”

I blushed helplessly as he licked his fingers and mouth clean and then rose from his knees, crawling above me on the bed. He caught my wrists and pinned them on either side of me, his eyes glowing with the silver moonlight pouring in from the window. He settled his lean frame on top of me and kissed his way up the side of my neck. “Diana.”

“Yes?”

“You have made me ravenous this night,” he whispered. “I want all of you. I want to make you come over and over again, until you cannot stand another second of my sex. I want to unravel you. I want to fuck you for hours and feel your delicious little cunt squeezing my cock. I want to come inside you until you can take no more.”

He rose above me like a fallen angel then, his lips so close to mine. “May I have you, Diana divine?”

“Yes,” I whispered back. “Fuck me, Alucard. Please. I need you. I love you.”

A low, sultry growl left him as he kissed me. “As do I. Let me show you how much.”

Then he showed me.

And I adored every second of it.

He fucked me passionately, enthusiastically, riding the rise and fall of my body on the bed, his focus unshakable as he sought out my pleasure, our pleasure. He fucked me into three orgasms in a row, each one hotter and messier than the last, holding my arms down, murmuring filthy promises in my ear the whole time and praising me for being a good girl. He rolled us over and placed me in his lap, finding me under the layers of velvet and fucking me into another climax under my evening gown. Even then, he was not satisfied, scooping me from the bed and wrapping my legs around him. He fucked me again, holding me up, so close that I could hardly stand it. I lost myself in him. I had no reason to hold back. I gave him everything and he took it all in turn.

“Come,” I begged, licking his lower lip gently as I circled my hips against his rough thrusts. “Oh, Alucard, please come. Please come inside me. Come inside your good girl.”

“Fuck,” he gasped out, the dress shirt sticking to the sweat dripping down his abs, creating even more friction between us. “Wicked pet. Not yet.”

“Now,” I whimpered. “Now, my love. Please. Please come for me, Alucard.”

He let out a snarl and gripped the decorative comb holding my dark hair up, tearing it loose. My curls spilled out and he plunged a hand into them, kissing me harder. His hips stuttered in their pounding rhythm and I tightened my legs around his waist. “Come, Alucard, come!”

“Diana!” We flew over the precipice together. But it didn’t feel like falling. It felt like…ascending. I clung to him, amazed that anything on Earth could feel so incredible and lasting and satisfying. Perhaps this was what all the poets that I had read meant. I felt…whole.

I stirred as I felt Alucard’s knuckles brushing my cheekbone. My lashes were wet. We lay on our side in the messy sheets, entangled in one another. I smiled at him, unashamed of my tears for the first time in my life, for they were shed out of joy rather than sadness. I touched his cheek tenderly. The diamond in my ring glittered like a star as it caught the moonlight. It reminded me of the first night I’d spent here, alone in the darkness, blindly hoping for a future.

And I had found it here, with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Epilogue on its way and that's all folks. x3


End file.
